+ 
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I 


BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 

•$> 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

Robert  W. Waterman  Papers 


REPORT 

O  N 

PROJECT 

OF   THE 


United  Comstock  Pumping  Association 


FOR 


Unwatering  the  North  Comstock  Mines 

ANSWERING  FORTY-SEVEN  QUESTIONS 

OF 

MR.  WHITMAN   SYMMES 


A.  M.  WALSH, 

Supt.    U.   C.   Pumping  Association 
—  TO  — 

WHITMAN  SYMMES, 

Supt.    Mexican  Mine 


VIRGINIA  CITY,  NEV. 

October  29,   1913 


PRESS    OF 
UPTON   BROS, 
ft  DELZELLE 


Recently  the  Mexican  Gold  and  Silver  Mining  Company,  at 
a  meeting  of  its  Board  of  Directors,  called  for  the  purpose  of 
considering  the  resumption  of  its  payments  to  the  United 
Comstock  Pumping  Association,  instructed  Mr.  Whitman 
Symmes,  its  Superintendent,  to  examine  the  pumping  plant  of 
the  United  Comstock  Pumping  Association,  and  to  report  upon 
it,  and  also  upon  the  proposed  project  for  further  lowering  the 
water  to  the  2,700-foot  level  with  the  Starrett  Pumps,  and  upon 
the  conduct  of  our  operations  since  Mr.  A.  M.  Walsh  succeeded 
Mr.  Symmes  as  Superintendent  of  the  Pumping  Association. 

Mr.  Symmes  accordingly  addressed  forty-seven  questions 
to  Mr.  Walsh,  which  are  fully  answered  by  Mr.  Walsh  in  the 
following  report.  The  answers  made  present  the  pumping  situa- 
tion upon  the  Comstock  Lode  so  clearly  that  the  Pumping  Asso- 
ciation has  published  them  for  the  information  of  the  stockhold- 
ers of  the  constituent  companies. 

UNITED  COMSTCCK  PUMPING  ASSOCIATION, 

By  A.  WATERMAN,  Secretary. 


•7  b  §  5~o 

AKCRGrT   f-ffTR/ 


INDEX 


Page. 

I.     Introduction    3 

II.     Summary  of  Walsh  Administration 3 

1.  Description  of   Pumping-  System,  January,  1913 4 

2.  Memorandum  of  Water  Flows 4-5 

3.  Comment  on  the   Plant 6 

Its  replacement  by  hydraulic  engines  desirable. 
Bad  working  conditions  in  C.  &  C.  Shaft  Sump. 
Changes  effected  in  Shaft  Sump.  Changes  in  Air 
Lift  Service  on  2000  level. 

4.  Defects  of  Organization  and  Administration 7 

5.  Remedies   applied   in    Mechanical   and   Accounts    De- 

partments          7 

6.  Reopening  2500  level 7-8 

Necessity  of  clearing  whole  level  for  sinking  in 
Ophir-Mexican  Winze.  Description  of  2500  level. 
Reasons  for  reopening  level  from  Con-Virginia 
end.  Resulting  quick  availability  of  Con-Virginia 
Winze. 

7.  Copy  of  Report  Summarizing  Administration  to  Inly 

1,   1913    ...9-11 

III.     Project   for   Unwatering  2700   Level   through   the   Con-Vir- 
ginia  Winze    11 

1.     Choice    of    Winzes 11 

Comparison  of  winzes  as  to  number  of  compart- 
ments, timbering,  state  of  repair  and  sump  room. 
Special  discussion  of  2700  level  grades  demanding 
auxiliary  pumping.  Presumption  that  principal 
flow  of  water  on  2700  is  into  Con-Virginia  winze. 
Summarization  of  minor  factors  in  comparison  of 
winzes.  Decisive  factors  enforcing  selection  of 
Con-Virginia  winze.  Its  nearness  to  C.  &  C.  Shaft 
pumps.  Avoidance,  by  its  use,  of  necessity  for  re- 
pairing all  of  2500  level.  Greater  value  of  Ophir- 
Mexican  Winze  for  mining  work.  Extreme  small- 
ness  of  Ophir-Mexican  Winze  compartments,  with 
diagrams  showing  electrical  sinker  pumps  could  not 

be  lowered  in  them 1 2-1  fi 

Decision    to    lower    water    through    Con-Virginia 
Winze  18 


I XI  )KX— Continued 


Page 

2.  Selection    of    Pumps    for     Unwatering     Con-Virginia 

Winze.  Choice  confined  to  Starrctt  pumps  and 
electrical  turbine  sinkers.  General  character  of 
Starrett  pump.  Reports  and  recommendations  in 
regard  to  it.  Its  so-called  test  at  the  Ward  Shaft 
not  deserving  of  consideration,  as  it  appears  to 
have  been  a  prejudiced  one.  Low  efficiency  of  tur- 
bine sinker  pumps  for  sinking  duty.  Dangers  in 
use  of  electric  sinker  pumps  arising  from  shut- 
downs of  power  such  as  have  occurred  frequently 
and  dangers  from  sudden  flooding.  Said  dangers 
eliminated  by  Starrett  pump.  Resulting  selection 
of  Starrett  pump  for  sinking.  . 18-21 

3.  Water  Flow  on  2500  Level 21 

Flow  as  a  whole.  Flow  from  Osbiston  drift. 
Flow  from  Con-Virginia  Winze. 

4.  Description  of  Pump  Selected 21 

5.  Description    of    Proposed    Method     for    Unwatering 

Operations  at  the  Winze 22-23 

Arrangement  of  pumps,  winches,  hoists,  pipes  and 
ladder  way.  Method  of  lowering  water.  Consid- 
eration of  repairs  and  time  required  for  same. 
Treatment  of  hot  air  from  discharge.  Crew  re- 
quired and  its  personelle. 

6.  Compressed   Air   Requirements 23 

7.  Compressed  Air  Transmission 24 

8.  Air   Compressing   Plant 24-26 

Description  of  compressors ;  horsepower. 

IV.     Summary  and  Index  of  Answers  to  the  Symmes  Questions, 

with  Answers  to  those  not  already  covered 27-32 

V.     Conclusion   32 

Appendix    I.     The  Forty-seven  Questions  of  Mr.  Symmes 34-37 

Appendix  II.     Cost  of  Temporary  Pumping  Installation 38-40 


SUPERINTENDENT'S  OFFICE 

UNITED  COMSTOCK  PUMPING 
ASSOCIATION 

Virginia   City,   Nevada,   October   2<>, 


REPORT  ON  PROJECT  OF  THE  UNITED  COMSTOCK 
PUMPING  ASSOCIATION  FOR  UNWATERING  THE 
2700  LEVEL  OF  THE  NORTH  COMSTOCK  MINES, 
ANSWERING  FORTY-SEVEN  QUESTIONS  OF  WHIT- 
MAN SYMMES,  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  THE  MEXI- 
CAN MINE. 


Whitman  Symmes,  Esq.,  Supt.  Mexican  Mine,  Virginia  City,  Nevada. 
DEAR  SIR:— 

Replying  to  your  letter  of  October  2,  I  submit  herein  answers 
to  your  forty-seven  questions  in  regard  to  my  administration  and 
my  plans  for  further  unwatering  the  North  Comstock  Mines. 
(See  Appendix  I  for  list  of  questions.) 

In  view  of  the  obvious  hostility  of  your  attitude,  I  have  con- 
sidered it  to  be  neither  logical  nor  safe  to  reply  to  them  separately 


and  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  presented ;  but  I  have,  never- 
theless, taken  care  to  see  that  every  question  is  fully  and  frankly 
covered  by  this  letter. 

I  will  first  reply  to  those  questions  which  concern  themselves 
with  my  administrative  acts: 

When  I  succeeded  you  January  25,  1913,  I  found  myself  in 
charge  of  a  pumping  installation  which  held  the  water  at  the 
'„'."> HO  level  of  the  North  Comstock  Mines,  to  which  depth  it  had 
been  reduced  by  Messrs.  Hall  and  Burbank,  by  October,  1910. 

The  pumping  system  may  be  outlined  as  follows : 

All  pumping  was  done  through  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft,  at  the 
collar  of  which  the  shops  were  located.  Access  to  the  pumps  was 
had  by  means  of  the  hoists  working  the  said  shaft. 

The  lowest  pumps  were  the  two  electrically  driven  vertical 
turbine  sinker  pumps  in  the  shaft  sump  at  the  2500  level  of  the 
C.  &  C.  Shaft.  These  pumps  received  the  drainage  from  the  2500 
level,  together  with  the  water  rising  from  below  the  2500  level. 
They  discharged  these  waters  to  a  tank  on  the  2310  station. 

At  the  2310  station  were  three  electrically  driven  horizontal 
turbine  station  pumps  which  cast  to  the  2000  level  the  water  re- 
ceived from  the  sump  pumps  at  the  2500  level  and  also  the 
drainage  from  the  2000  level  to  the  2300  level. 

The  discharge  from  the  horizontal  turbines,  together  with  the 
drainage  from  the  1GOO  level  to  the  2000  level,  entered  a  sump 
tank  under  the  2000  station  and  was  thence  elevated  about  15 
feet  to  a  second  tank  by  means  of  an  air  lift. 

On  the  2000  station  three  electrically  driven  Riedler  pumps 
cast  to  the  Sutro  tunnel,  about  16  feet  above  the  1GOO  level,  the 
waters  from  the  second  tank. 

The  Sutro  tunnel  also  received  the  drainage  from  above  the 
1600  level  and  thus  became  a  vent  for  all  the  waters  discharged 
from  the  North  Comstock  Mines. 

The  quantities  of  water  were  approximately  as   follows : 

Flow  from  2500  level  and  below  it,  1000  gallons  per  minute. 

Drainage   from  2300  to  2500,  100  gallons  per  minute. 

Shaft  drainage,  cooling  water  and  pressure  water  for  hydraulic 
balance,  400  gallons  per  minute. 

Total  duty  of  sump  pumps,   1500  gallons  per  minute. 

Drainage  from  2000  to  2300  level,  600  gallons  per  minute. 
Total  duty  of  2310  station  pumps,  2100  gallons  per  minute. 

Drainage  from  1600  to  2000  level,  50  gallons  per  minute. 

Total  duty  of  2000  station  pumps,  2150  gallons  per  minute. 
Drainage  from  above  Sutro  tunnel,  60  gallons  per  minute. 

Total  discharge  to  Sutro  tunnel,  2210  gallons  per  minute. 


A  simple  expression  of  these  relations  may  be  made  by  diagram 
as   follows : 

Drainage  from  above 
Sutro  Tunnel,  GO  gal.  per  min. 


Sutro  Tunnel  discharge  pipe  >»)  >    Sutro  Portal 

2210  g.  p.  m. 


Drainage  from 
1600  to  2000 
50  g.  p.  m. 


Drainage  from 
2000  to  2300 
600  g.  p.  m. 


bJo 
o 


2000  Level-Riedler  Pumps 
5 

tai 


Horizontal  Turbines  at 
2310   Station 


Drainage  from 
2300  to  2500 
100  g.  p.  m. 


bJo  |  ^- Shaft  drainage,  cooling 

§  x  $'  water  and  pressure  water 

>/7  3       hSPv*         for  hydraulic  balance, 

400  g.  p.  m. 

Vertical    Turbines    at 
2500  Sump 


o 
O  o 


The  installation  described  is  by  no  means  a  logical  one  or  even 
a   good   one,    and    presumably    the    whole    of    it    will   be    replaced    in 


time  by  hydraulically  operated  reciprocating  plunger  pumps  on  the 
2500  station.  As  soon  as  1  had  made  a  study  of  the  situation 
I  readily  perceived  that  the  conditions  were  ideal  for  the  use  of 
these  engines,  and,  finding  also  that  my  last  three  predecessors, 
Messrs.  Hall,  Burbank  and  Symmes  had  each  in  turn  finally  urged 
their  adoption,  I  promptly  made  them  the  subject  of  a  special 
study  which  shows,  first,  that  they  could  have  been  installed  for  a 
sum  no  greater  than  that  which  has  been  expended  in  the  purchase 
of  the  vertical  and  horizontal  turbines  and  the  installation  of  the 
same,  about  $80,000  (See  Appendix  II),  and,  second,  that  the 
hydraulic  engines  could  have  been  installed  directly  without  the 
previous  purchase  of  this  so-called  temporary  plant. 

However,  the  plant  described  was  in  fact  actually  holding  the 
water  at  the  2500  level;  but  it  was  far  from  being  in  an  efficient 
state  for  the  further  unwatering  of  the  deep  levels. 

To  begin  with,  conditions  in  the  shaft  sump  were  very  bad 
indeed,  as  the  whole  shaft  bottom  was  blocked  with  machinery 
which  prevented  access  to  the  2500  level  by  cage.  The  bottoms 
of  the  north  and  south  compartments  contained  vertical  turbine 
sinker  pumps  and  the  middle  compartment  was  blocked  to  the 
2000  level  with  the  old  hydraulic  elevator  and  its  pipes.  The  north 
compartment  was  nearly  full  of  pipes  and  permitted  only  the  use 
of  a  dolly  cage  to  the  1800  level.  The  middle  compartment  per- 
mitted the  passage  of  a  cage  only  to  the  2000  level.  In  the 
south  compartment  the  cage  could  only  go  to  a  point  40  feet 
above  the  2500  level,  while  materials  were  lowered  thence  by  ropes 
and  the  men  traversed  this  40  feet  through  hot,  vitiated,  steam- 
laden  air  by  means  of  a  ladder.  Obviously  these  conditions  were 
intolerable  and  demanded  patient  correction  if  we  were  to  anticipate 
any  cleaning  out  of  the  2500  level  of  Con-Virginia  for  gaining 
access  to  the  winzes  below  the  level. 

To  do  this  it  was  first  necessary  to  remove  the  hydraulic  ele- 
vator from  the  middle  compartment,  to  lower  another  vertical 
turbine  into  place  in  the  sump  of  that  compartment,  to  then  remove 
the  vertical  turbine  from  the  south  compartment  and  finally  to 
extend  the  south  compartment  hoisting  to  the  2500  level.  All  of 
these  things  were  done,  and,  as  a  result,  we  had  two  turbine 
sinkers  in  place  as  before  and  direct  access  to  the  2500  level  by 
the  south  cage  while  the  middle  compartment  could  be  worked 
to  the  2300  level. 

There  were  other  minor  changes  to  be  made  before  we  would 
be  in  a  secure  position  for  attacking  the  problem  of  the  further 
lowering  of  the  water  to  the  2700  level.  Thus,  as  fully  discussed 
under  my  special  reply  to  your  question  12,  it  was  necessary  to 
eliminate  the  wasteful,  injurious  and  absurd  raising  of  water  from 
the  lower  2000  level  tank  to  the  upper  by  means  of  the  air  lift. 


The  thorough  overhauling1  of  the  Riedler  pumps,  also  had  to  be 
continued  and,  much  to  my  surprise  and  annoyance,  I  found  that 
the  overhauling  already  accomplished  had  been  so  carelessly  and 
hastily  done  that  it  had  to  be  repeated. 

It  was  found  moreover,  that  there  were  reconstructive  problems 
of  organization  and  administration  to  be  met,  while  the  shaft 
changes  were  being  effected ;  for  discipline  and  system  were  en- 
tirely lacking  in  the  mechanical  department,  while  costs  and  office 
records  were  kept  in  the  most  obscure  manner.  This  circumstance 
was  the  more  serious  as  the  new  administration  could  not  take 
remedial  action  without  the  loss  of  considerable  time  which  was 
required  for  observation  and  deliberation.  The  mechanical  de- 
partment was  overcrowded  by  a  force  of  twelve  men  though  seven 
men  now  do  the  work  more  thoroughly.  They  were  but  loosely 
related  by  shifting  intrigue  and  cabal  and  appeared  to  have  as  a 
main  principle  of  their  cohesion,  the  acquisition  of  extra  pay  by 
work  overtime.  The  department  was  headed  by  a  mechanical 
engineer  who  made  only  a  pretense  of  controlling  the  work  nomi- 
nally in  his  charge  and  who  had  apparently  occupied  most  of  his 
time  as  your  personal  assistant,  doing  work  for  the  Mexican  while 
he  drew  his  pay  from  the  Pumping  Association. 

For  remedying  these  conditions  it  was  found  to  be  possible 
to  thoroughly  reorganize  the  mechanical  department  only  after  six 
weeks  had  passed.  It  was  then  put  in  charge  of  Mr.  Louis  Biddle, 
a  master  mechanic  having  vears  of  experience,  seasoned  to  the 
difficult  conditions  of  our  hot  mines,  devoted  to  the  personal 
supervision  of  his  work  and  capable  of  commanding  the  respect  of 
his  men.  Bv  this  means  the  mechanical  department  was  rendered 
singularly  efficient  though  the  total  number  of  men  employed  was 
reduced  to  seven,  as  previously  stated.  (Part  answer  to  question 
43.)  It  appears  from  questions  forty  and  forty- four  that  vou  hope 
to  show  this  reduction  in  force  to  be  a  direct  result  of  the  com- 
pletion of  the  overhauling  of  the  Riedlers ;  but  tfyis  has  not  been 
the  case.  When  the  overhauling  of  the  Riedlers  had  been  ap- 
parently accomplished  we  were  astonished  to  find  that  part  of  this 
work  which  had  been  done  previous  to  the  reorganization  of  the 
mechanical  department  was  highly  defective ;  and  it  has  been  neces- 
sary to  duplicate  almost  all  of  it  from  time  to  time.  (Answer  to 
question  44.) 

When  these  first  problems  of  the  new  administration  had  been 
successfully  met.  we  were  then  onlv  in  a  position  to  take  up  works 
directed  to  the  further  lowering  of  the  water. 

However  this  should  be  done  it  was  recognized  by  all  that  the 
further  tmwatering  must  be  accomplished  either  through  the  Con- 
Virginia  winze,  lying  GOO  feet  east  of  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft,  or  through 
the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  on  the  north  boundary  line  of  Ophir.  My 


predecessor  had  fully  decided  upon  the  use  of  the  latter  winze, 
which  extends  from  the  2500  to  the  2900.  In  order  to  use  the 
Ophir-Mexican  win/c  for  pumping,  it  was  necessary  first  to  clean 
out  and  repair  the  old  Con-Yirginia-Ophir  2500  level  from  said 
winze  to  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  where  the  water  from  below  the  2500 
level  must  be  delivered  to  the  existing  pumping  plant. 

This  old  2500  level  of  Ophir-Con-Virginia,  through  which 
connection  must  be  made  between  the  shaft  and  the  Ophir-Mexican 
winze,  may  be  described  as  follows:  A  crosscut  had  been  driven 
(ioo  feet  east  of  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  to  the  Con-Virginia  winze. 
Thence  a  northerly  drift  extended  1555  feet  to  the  Ophir-Mexican 
winze.  Xo  matter  how  the  attack  should  be  made  upon  the  cleaning 
out  and  repairing  of  the  level,  the  progress  of  the  work  must  in- 
evitably lead  incidentally  to  the  securing  of  access  to  the  Con- 
Yirginia  winze.  The  work  of  repairing  this  old  2500  level  had 
already  been  started  at  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  and  had  been 
carried  south  575  feet  under  very  difficult  conditions,  as  there  was 
a  down  grade  which  caused  the  water  to  stand  in  the  drift  and 
necessitated  the  carrying  forward  of  a  pump  with  the  advance  of 
the  work.  It  was  decided  to  proceed  no  farther  with  the  work 
from  the  Ophir  side  at  that  time  as  the  repairing  of  the  drift 
could  now  be  carried  forward  from  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  and  with 
considerable  advantage.  The  east  crosscut  from  said  shaft  had 
a  gravity  drainage  to  the  shaft ;  and  the  muck  and  debris  could 
be  hoisted  directly  instead  of  being  always  carried  back  a  longer 
and  longer  distance  to  the  Ophir  winze  for  hoisting,  whence  it 
would  finally  require  tramming  back  to  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  again  on 
a  higher  level.  Another  consideration  of  great  importance  in  the 
selection  of  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  end  for  the  attack  upon  the  2500 
level,  lay  in  the  fact  that  work  from  that  end  would  reach  the 
Con- Virginia  winze  station  in  600  feet  and  it  was  hoped  that  this 
winze  would  be  found  to  be  in  good  condition.  If  so  there  were 
many  considerations  to  recommend  its  use  for  unwatering  the 
2700  level.  It  had  not  only  the  important  advantage  of  closeness 
to  the  rest  of  the  pumping  plant  at  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft.  It  also 
presented  the  most  quickly  available  point  of  attack  for  the 
lowering  of  the  water  while  there  was  no  particular  reason  to 
think  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  was  in  a  better  state  of  repair 
than  this  nearer  winze  in  Con-Virginia  ground.  If  then,  by 
chance,  the  Con-Virginia  winze  should  be  found  in  a  state 
of  good  preservation,  its  use  would  avoid  the  necessity  for 
connecting  through  to  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  on  the  2500 
level  before  the  lowering  of  the  water  to  the  2700  level. 

These  considerations  have  proven  themselves  to  have  been  well 
worthy  of  the  attention  they  received.  Rapid  advance  was  made 
in  the  repairing  of  the  level,  the  Con-Virginia  winze  was  reached 


and  sounded  and   found  to  be  in  good  condition   and  it  has  become 
immediately   available    for   unwatering   the    2700    level. 

This  concludes  the  preliminary  discussion  of  conditions  as 
I  found  them  and  of  the  early  acts  of  my  administration ;  but, 
before  passing  to  a  detailed  consideration  of  my  project  for  un- 
watering the  2700  level,  I  will  grant  your  request  of  question  30 
by  introducing  a  copy  of  the  only  report  I  have  so  far  presented. 
It  covers  my  work  to  July  1,  1913. 

Copy    of    Report. 
General    Office. 
United    Comstock    Pumping    Association. 

Virginia    City,    Nevada,    July    1,    1913. 
A.  F.  Coffin,  Esq.,  Pres.  U.  C.  P.  A.,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
DEAR  SIR: — 

Pursuant  to  your  request  I  herewith  submit  a  report  on  the 
cost  of  operating  the  United  Comstock  Pumping  Association  in 
Virginia  City  and  work  done  by  the  Association  since  I  took 
charge  of  its  operations  on  January  25,  1913. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  cost  of  operating  the 
United  Comstock  Pumping  Association  from  December  1,  1912,  to 
June  1,  1913,  compiled  by  our  accountant,  Mr.  F.  E.  Patron. 

Regular  Extra  Total 

Months  Expenses  Expenses  Expenses 

December     $16,581.33  $3,138.26  $19,719.59 

January      17,393.36  3,000.00  20,393.36 

February     15,849.68  2,208.80  18,058.40 

March     15,363.30  869.52  16,232.8? 

April     14,436.88  840.81  15,277.69 

May    13,712.28  1,944.21  15,656.49 

The  above  figures  speak  for  themselves. 

The  items  comprising  the  regular  operating  expense  include 
salaries,  labor,  supplies,  power,  water,  hoisting,  compressed  air,  all 
repairs  on  pumps  and  the  pumping  system,  and  the  general  ex- 
pense of  maintaining  the  Association.  All  supplies  used,  with  the 
exception  of  ladders  which  were  taken  from  the  Ward  Shaft,  have 
been  charged  to  the  above  named  account. 

The  extraordinary  and  installation  expenses  comprise  such  ex- 
penses as  the  cost  of  Mexican-Ophir  winches,  damages  through 
personal  injury,  cost  of  removing  hydraulic  elevators,  repairing  and 
preparing  shaft  for  the  lowering  of  the  2500  turbine  pump,  re- 
pairing 2500  station  and  east  drift,  etc. 

The  principal  cause  of  our  greatly  reduced  operating  expenses 
since  my  appointment,  is  the  fact  that  we  have  raised  the  efficiency 


of  our  labor  and  thereby  conducted  the  work  with  fewer  men.  We 
have  also  made  many  changes  in  the  operations  of  the  pumps  which 
were  along  the  lines  of  economy. 

The  following  is  a  record  of  work  accomplished  under  my  ad- 
ministration as  superintendent : 

Removed  hydraulic  elevator  No.  1  from  the  center  compartment 
of  C.  &  C.  Shaft. 

Repaired  shaft  from  2000  to  2300  station  and  removed  ladders 
and  electric  cable  from  middle  compartment,  to  the  north  compart- 
ment of  C.  &  C.  Shaft  between  the  2000  and  2300  levels.  This 
work  permitted  the  cage  in  the  middle  compartment  to  be  lowered 
to  the  2300  level  and  saved  considerable  expense  in  operating  the 
C.  &  C.  hoist  because  we  were  enabled  to  run  the  cages  in  counter- 
poise when  hoisting  ore  and  waste. 

Thoroughly  tested  and  adjusted  a  new  vertical  turbine  pump  on 
the  surface  and  installed  it  in  the  shaft  at  the  2500  level. 

Removed  the  2500  level  vertical  turbine  pump  from  the  south 
compartment  of  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  and  thoroughly  overhauled  the 
same.  By  the  removal  of  this  pump  we  were  enabled  to  lower 
the  south  cage  to  the  2500  level  of  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft. 

Repaired  2500  station  of  C.  &  C.  Shaft  and  cleaned  out  and 
repaired  the  2500  east  drift  to  the  Con-Virginia  winze,  a  distance 
of  565  feet.  At  this  point  we  proceeded  to  clean  out  and  repair 
the  north  drift  and  have  advanced  the  same  a  distance  of  300  feet. 
(June  29,  1913.) 

Put  in  new  ladders  in  the  north  compartment  of  the  C.  &  C. 
Shaft  from  the  1000  level  to  the  1600  level. 

Rearranged  the  system  of  pumping  the  water  from  the  2310 
pumps  to  the  2000  Reidler  pumps  so  that  the  2310  pumps  pump  di- 
rectly to  the  upper  Riedler  tank.  By  this  arrangement  it  is  not  neces- 
sary to  operate  the  2000  air  lift  continuously.  Also  by  this  new  ar- 
rangement of  pumping,  the  ventilation  of  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  has 
been  greatly  improved,  the  life  of  the  timbers  has  been  extended  and 
a  good  saving  in  power  has  been  effected. 

Inaugurated  a  system  of  accounting  whereby  the  operating  ex- 
pense of  the  United  Comstock  Pumping  Association  is  segregated 
and  charged  to  the  different  departments.  This  work  assisted  in 
reducing  our  expense. 

All  of  the  above  work  excepting  the  system  of  accounting  and 
the  discontinuance  of  the  constant  use  of  the  2000  air  lift  is,  and 
was  necessary  to  be  done  before  the  actual  work  of  unwatering 
could  proceed. 

Please  remember  that  since  I  have  been  in  charge  of  the  United 
Comstock  Pumping  Association  we  have  been  greatly  hampered  by 
having  very  little  financial  assistance  to  be  used  in  the  work  of  un- 
watering these  mines. 

10 


The  results  have  been  very  gratifying.  Credit  for  the  work 
accomplished,  under  our  adverse  financial  condition,  and  the 
greatly  reduced  operating  expenses  of  the  Association  is  due  to 
the  co-operation  and  friendliness  of  Mr.  T.  F.  McCormick,  Super- 
intendent of  the  Con-Virginia  and  Ophir  mines ;  Mr.  Thos.  Blake, 
foreman  of  the  Con-Virginia  and  Ophir  mines,  and  our  Master 
Mechanic,  Mr.  Louis  Biddle. 

Very   respectfully   submitted, 

(Signed)       A.  M.  WALSH, 

Superintendent. 

Project  for  Umvatering  2700  Level  through  the  Con-Virginia  Winze. 

Having  the  above  general  view  of  the  pumping  situation  as  I 
found  it,  and  of  my  preliminary  steps  toward  the  gaining  of  access 
to  the  winzes,  we  may  now  logically  consider  the  evolution  of  my 
project  for  unwatering  the  2700  level. 

Choice  of  Winzes. 

The  choice  of  a  winze  for  pumping  operations  lay  between  the 
Ophir-Mexican  Winze  and  the  Con- Virginia  Winze.  .  Each  of  them 
had  three  compartments.  Each  was  cribbed  and  each  had  been 
sounded  and  appeared  to  be  unobstructed.*  Each  had  ample  sump 
room  below  the  2700  level,  as  the  Con- Virginia  winze  extends  120 
feet  below  that  level,  while  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  connects 
with  the  2900  level.  Neither  winze  had  an  advantage  in  gravity, 
drainage  of  the  2700,  as  the  connection  between  them  on  the  2700 
was  probably  made  by  drifting  from  each  toward  the  other,  so 
from  each  the  grade  rises  to  a  high  point  where  the  drifts  connected. 

This  factor  proves  to  be  so  important  that  it  may  be  well  to 
give  it  full  discussion  at  this  place.  There  are  no  written  records 
of  grade  on  the  2700  level  known  to  me;  and  I  believe  information 


*Note: — Results  of  sounding  Con-Virginia  Winze  were  as 
follows : 

(Answer  to  question  2.) 

South  Compartment.  Open  195  feet  below  the  winze  collar. 
There  the  sounder  met  obstruction  which  it  readily  passed  to  the 
265  foot  point  where  it  stopped.  .  As  this  was  the  pump  compart- 
ment some  obstructions  by  platform,  pump  hangers,  etc.,  was  to  be 
expected. 

Middle  Compartment.  Sounder  passed  without  interruption  to 
the  320  foot  point,  the  winze  bottom. 

11 


\i>rth  Compartment.  Sounder  passed  without  interruption  to 
point  200  feet  below  the  winze '  collar  where  the  compartment  ap- 
peared to  be  boarded  over. 


on  this  subject  must  remain  a  matter  of  memory  on  the  part  of 
miners  who  worked  upon  the  level,  a  source  of  information  your 
work  at  the  Ward  Shaft  has  shown  to  be  exceedingly  treacherous. 
Assuming,  however,  that  the  grades  do  rise  from  each  winze  toward 
a  high  place  between  them,  it  must  appear  that  the  level  could  not 
he  wholly  un watered  by  direct  pumping  from  either  winze.  Pump- 
ing from  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  would  leave  water  standing 
anywhere  from  five  to  ten  feet  (according  to  grade)  on  the  Con- 
Virginia  winze  2700  level  station ;  and,  conversely,  pumping  from  the 
Con- Virginia  winze  would  leave  a  like  unknown  depth  of  water 
on  the  2700  level  station  of  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze. 

Now  it  is  obvious  that  in  order  to  work  the  2700  level  of  the 
Con-Virginia  and  Ophir,  air  from  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  must  be  per- 
mitted to  pass  through  the  Con- Virginia  winze  and  the  2700  level 
at  least  as  far  north  as  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze.  Therefore  were 
the  unwatering  conducted  from  the  latter  winze  it  would  still  be 
necessary  to  have  auxiliary  pumping  of  the  water  which  would 
stand  in  the  Con-Virginia  winze,  just  as  the  Con- Virginia  winze 
project  must  include  auxiliary  pumping  to  clear  the  2700  station 
of  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze. 

In  either  case  there  would  be  two  possible  methods  for  con- 
ducting the  auxiliary  pumping,  as  the  second  winze  could,  be 
pumped  directly  to  the  2500  level,  or  it  could  be  approached  by 
cleaning  out  the  connecting  level  on  the  2700  and  advancing  pumps 
through  the  same  to  lift  the  water  across  the  high  point.  The 
latter  procedure  would,  of  course,  be  the  more  attractive  if  the 
2700  level  should  be  found  in  such  good  condition  as  to  offer 
hope  of  rapid  advance  in  its  repair.  As  the  old  2700  level  lies 
much  farther  east  of  the  east  vein  than  the  old  2500  level,  there 
is  a  good  basis  for  anticipating  that  it  is  in  more  solid  ground 
and  therefore  in  better  condition  than  the  old  2500  level. 

Another  factor  having  a  bearing  on  the  choice  of  a  winze  for 
the  main  pumping  and  also  upon  our  plans  for  auxiliary  pumping 
when  the  first  winze  shall  be  cleared  is  that  of  the  location  of 
the  principal  water  flow  rising  from  below  the  2700  level,  as  we 
would  wish  to  apply  the  auxiliary  pumping  to  the  smaller  flow  of 
water.  If,  for  instance,  it  were  known  that  either  winze  were  a 
reservoir  for  a  greater  flow  of  water  than  the  other,  it  would  be 
desirable  to  select  for  the  location  of  the  main  pumping  plant  the 
winze  draining  the  larger  flow.  But  here  again  we  are  confronted 

12 


by  a  painful  dearth  of  data,  as  we  have  no  records  of  the  location 
of  water  flows  on  the  2700  level.  All  we  know  is  that  the  Con- 
Virginia  and  Ophir  have  been  the  wettest  ground ;  that  Con- 
Virginia  exhibits  on  the  upper  levels  a  distinct  water  belt  from 
which  a  large  flow  is  derived;  and  that  the  Con-Virginia  winze 
was  stopped  120  feet  below  the  2700  by  a  heavy  flow  of  hot  water. 
From  the  memory  of  men  who  saw  the  water  flow  it  is  deemed 
probable  that  the  Con-Virginia  winze  alone  receives  as  much  as 
250  gallons  per  minute  from  the  depths  of  the  Lode;  and,  as  the 
up  grade  from  the  2700  station  of  this  winze  passes  through  the 
wettest  part  of  the  Lode,  including  the  whole  of  the  water  belt 
referred  to,  it  may  reasonably  be  assumed  that  the  total  flow  into 
the  Con-Virginia  winze  is  greatly  in  excess  of  that  to  the  Ophir- 
Mexican  winze.  Nevertheless  the  most  careful  analysis  only  es- 
tablishes the  fact  that  with  an  entire  lack  of  accurate  data  upon 
grades  and  water  flows  on  the  2700  level,  the  formulation  of  all 
plans  which  depend  upon  precise  knowledge  of  these  conditions 
must  necessarily  be  deferred  until  the  unwatering  of  the  first 
winze  shall  give  us  the  factors  we  require  for  an  intelligent  solu- 
tion of  this  part  of  our  problem.  (Answer  to  question  20.) 

Returning  now  to  our  main  subject  of  a  comparison  of  the 
relative  advantages  of  the  two  winzes  for  the  unwatering,  small 
difference  has  so  far  been  shown  in  the  values  of  the  winzes,  as  a 
slight  advantage  lying  with  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  by  reason 
of  its  connection  with  the  2900  level  is  offset  by  a  slight  advantage 
of  the  other  winze  in  a  presumption  that  it  receives  a  larger  flow 
of  water. 

There  are,  however,  four  other  important  considerations  which, 
as  a  whole,  were  found  to  be  so  decisive  as  to  require  the  use  of 
the  Con- Virginia  winze. 

In  the  first  place,  the  Con-Virginia  winze  stood  but  600  feet 
away  from  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft,  in  and  adjacent  to  which  the  rest  of 
the  pumping  plant  was  located,  while  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  was 
situated  at  a  point  2155  feet  from  the  shaft,  measured  along  the 
old  2500  level.  The  many  advantages  of  compactness  in  such  a 
plant  are  too  obvious  to  require  -discussion. 

In  the  second  place,  the  use  of  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  would 
require  the  cleaning  out  and  repairing  of  about  600  feet  of  drift 
on  the  2500  level  which  could  be  avoided,  at  least  temporarily,  by 
using  the  Con-Virginia  winze.  This  repair  work  would  be  very 
costly,  would  consume  much  time  and  also  involve  peculiar  diffi- 
culties from  water  accumulation  due  to  grades.  As  the  refusal  of 
Mexican  and  Union  to  meet  their  obligations  for  the  expense  of 
pumping  had  greatly  limited  the  funds  at  my  disposal,  any  pos- 
sible saving  of  time  and  money  was  of  such  importance  that  this 
factor  alone  seemed  to  demand  the  use  of  the  Con-Virginia  winze. 

13 


A  third  decisive  point  lay  in  the  fact  that  the  employment  of 
the  Con-Virginia  winze  for  pumping  would  leave  the  Ophir- 
Mexican  winze  free  for  mining  operations  as  soon  as  arrangements 
had  been  effected  to  conduct  its  waters  across  the  rise  in  grade  to 
the  Con-Virginia  winze.  .For  mining  work,  its  central  location 
made  it  singularly  desirable,  especially  for  the  Mexican  mine, 
which,  presumably,  has  an  ore  body  on  the  2700  level  awaiting  de- 
velopment. If,  however,  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze,  were  used  for 
permanent  pumping,  the  Con-Virginia  winze,  being  at  the  ex- 
treme south  end  of  the  mines,  would  not  be  equally  useful  for 
mining  purposes. 

The  fourth  factor  is  one  which  will  greatly  astonish  you,  as  it 
involves  an  error  in  observation  of  the  grossest  kind  on  the  part 
of  my  predecessor  in  the  management  here,  which  has  already  oc- 
casioned heavy  losses  and  might  have  caused  much  further  loss  of 
time  and  money  had  the  former  plans  for  unwatering  the  2700 
level  been  adopted  by  me.  This  factor  is  the  smallness  of  the 
compartments  of  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze,  which  are  of  a  size 
utterly  precluding  the  passage  of  the  electrical  turbine  sinkers 
through  them. 

On  assuming  the  management  I  found,  among  the  papers  of  the 
Pumping  Association,  a  drawing  of  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  com- 
partment, which  shows  it  to  be  four  feet  wide  and  five  feet  long. 
Compartments  of  this  size  might,  theoretically,  permit  the  passage 
of  the  electrical  sinker,  though  actually  there  would  be  serious 
difficulties  involved  in  the  operation. 

However,  a  careful  examination  of  the  winze  disclosed  the  fact 
that  its  compartments  are  really  but  3  feet  11^2  inches  wide  by 
4  feet  \l/2  inches  long,  a  circumstance  accounted  for  by  Mr.  Mc- 
Cormick  as  follows:  In  former  times  each  mine  made  its  own  ore 
cars  from  designs  more  or  less  dependent  upon  the  caprices  of  the 
various  superintendents.  In  this  way  it  chanced  that  Con- Virginia 
used  rather  large  cars,  which  resulted  in  winze  compartments  in 
that  mine  of  a  size,  4  feet  4  inches  by  4  feet  7  inches,  while 
Ophir  on  the  other  hand,  had  only  small  cars,  for  the  passage  of 
which  smaller  winze  compartments  were  adequate.  When  you  made 
your  plans  for  using  the  electrical  sinkers  in  the  Ophir-Mexican 
winze,  it  appears  that  you  must  have  deceived  yourself  by  a  failure 
to  sound  and  plumb  the  winze  beneath  the  water  level  at  its 
collar.  If  you  should  now  care  to  do  this  you  will  find  that  the 
compartments  really  measure  3  feet  11^  inches  by  4  feet 
\y2  inches  as  I  have  stated,  except  in  the  first  four  feet  below  the 
winze  collar,  where  the  timbers  are  widened  out  to  allow  room  for 
the  installation  of  chairs  for  the  cage. 

Let  us,  therefore,  consider  how  this  condition  affects  the  pos- 
sible use  of  the  Ophir-Mexican  winze  for  pumping.  When  you 


14 


S/ie 


C.  tSr  C.    -Shaft    —  rtoi'sf/'nf     ccmpoi-Ymrst/:     &,'  e"  X  £,'*" 


Drau>tr?q    to     sca/r     o/     f/ecfr/ca/     fvr6/rie     strttter  pump,     sAoun'nq 

J.i.f  Outer  recfanyfe  fv'e  **£'*"J  es  pv/np  Aanq*   //r    C«*-C    s/ra//   compor/menf,    fAroayh   ur/»'ct,    t'f    tv*j 
Jeuserte?  one*   r*,teo/    uri'M   afr'/ft'cvSty   c/ve  fe  tu/if>y//ty  o/  pump    enJ  t>/ne/rnf  e/  par  fa  tff,*t?  fairst. 

Z"?  Mtt/d/f  recfanj/ff*'  *£').  urAo/t'y  fietiftovt  t//ay/-f/n    tkcurlaf   Oph/r-Afft.  Compar/Aimf  f*  errfne»vtltf 
poi-  fraiffef    /"    U.C.fi/f   e/rauria<j    /*•//  amonf    rccoref<     a/     A7/-.>S/ir/nfj'txS*>,*ta/t'*/;eft. 


net  jotw/b/u  pa 


15 


first  lowered  one  of  the  turbine  sinkers  through  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft, 
i lie  operation  required  eight  hours.  When  I,  myself,  have  either 
lowered  or  raised  one,  I  have  found  it  a  dangerous  and  tedious  task 
because  of  the  tendency  of  the  pump  to  swing  and  bind  itself  against 
the  timbers,  so  that  it  had  to  be  repeatedly  pried  out  again  with 
crowbars;  and  I  have  become  convinced  that  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  com- 
partments though  I  feet  6  inches  by  5  feet  4  inches  are  none  too 
roomy  for  the  passage  of  these  pumps  and  about  as  small  as  they 
should  be.  (See  Diagram  I.) 

Had  the  Ophir-Mexican  Winze  compartments  been  four  feet 
by  five  feet  as  shown  by  diagram  left  by  you  in  the  office  records, 
it  would  even  then  have  been  almost  a  hopeless  task  to  pass  the 
pumps  through  them.  But  as  the  compartments  actually  are,  this 
would  be  entirely  out  of  the  question.  If  the  pumps  were  hung 
above  them  as  they  were  intended  to  be  hung  they  would  protrude 
about  G  inches  into  the  timbers. 

As  a  matter  of  purely  academic  interest  I  have  placed  a  cross- 
sectional  drawing  of  the  pump  on  tracing  cloth  and  turned  it  about 
over  a  diagram  of  the  winze  compartment  to  ascertain  the  most 
favorable  position  in  which  the  pump  could  be  presented  to  the 
winze.  The  result  is  shown  in  diagram  No.  2,  and  even  so,  the 
pump  would  protrude  a  minimum  of  2J/2  inches  into  the  timbers, 
assuming  a  theoretical  clearance  of  nothing  for  the  other  parts  of 
the  pump.  However,  we  cannot  venture  to  assume  the  winze  is 
perfectly  straight  by  any  means  and  a  pump  16  feet  long  would 
require  some  additional  clearance  to  allow  for  this  factor.  More- 
over, in  an  old  cribbed  w7inze,  we  can  be  sure  some  of  the  timbers 
will  protrude  as  much  as  two  inches ;  and  in  some  places  we  may 
expect  such  bulges  to  be  found  on  both  sides.  Therefore,  it  may 
be  taken  as  an  entirely  safe  assumption  that  the  winze  would 
need  to  have  a  clearance  of  at  least  six  inches  over  an  exact  fit 
when  the  pump  is  in  the  most  favorable  position  for  passing 
through  the  compartment  which  means  that  at  least  one  dimension 
of  the  winze  must  be  as  much  as  8T/2  inches  greater  than  it  is. 
But  even  this  would  only  give  a  fighting  chance  to  lower  the  pump, 
as  a  §l/2  tons  pump  lowered  in  free  suspension  on  a  cable  without 
guides  is  not  a  sufficiently  reasonable  thing  for  consideration  in  con- 
servative engineering  practice. 

As  it  may  save  you  further  confusion,  it  may  be  well  to  mention 
that  if  you  have  copies  of  the  same  turbine  pump  drawing  I  found 
in  the  office,  it  is  not  to  be  depended  upon  to  furnish  a  true  cross- 
section  of  the  pump,  as  it  is  incorrect.  The  cross-sections  shown  in 
my  diagram  represent  the  pump  as  it  actually  is. 

Summarizing  this  fourth  decisive  factor  it  is  seen  that  the 
Ophir-Mexican  winze  could  not  possibly  be  used  for  the  turbine 

16 


A.  .    . 


to    sco/e     sSiour/fTf     croas    sect'on     o/  e/ec/r/ca/   /t/rAtne 
si'ntrer  pi/mjo    as    //  urou/d   hanq   <r&ore    fhe    OjoA  /'/•'-  /Wet.  u>/»9e  cofnjooff- 
meaf  in   /foe  mosf  favorafr/e  joos///on  for  passing    fhreuy/t  f/te    <Scr/7>e. 
If   Saiaf  joumjo,    n/e/fsrr'*f   6/z    font,    Cou/t/   6e  /oureretS     eta'    ojoara/eef 
u/if/touf  pt//'<afei,    free/if    sitsjoenc/ctJ  oa  a    ca6/«,    crnaf  coit/cf    6e  conce/isvd 
fo  rey.e//s«   no    c/eesance    urta/'ttrer    tvif/itrt   /Ae  //m6ers,   eirer>   utrfer  svc/>  a 
jourefy   f/iforc/ica/    fssufn/afioii,    t/  tvou/a/    *?•'//  JOrofruiie     £'/*.  /acAfJ   //»/o  XA* 
ttmber*. 


17 


sinker  pumps,  and  that  whatever  pumps   should  be  employed  would 
IK-  much  more  cramped  in  it  than  in  the  Con-Virginia  winze. 

For  these  reasons  it  was  finally  decided,  after  counsel  and 
deliberation,  that  the  Con-Virginia  winze  should  be  used  for  our 
pumping  operations  to  the  2700  level. 

Selection  of  /'//;///>  for  Unwatering  the  Con-Virginia  Winze. 

(Answering  Questions  1  and  2  concerning  the  basis  of  my  judg- 
ment in  selecting  the  Starrett  pump.) 

For  unwatering  this  winze,  nothing  would  ordinarily  be  thought 
of  but  the  old  and  well-tried  common  air  sinker  pumps  with  which 
all  are  familiar  and  which  are  typically  used  in  conservative  prac- 
tice throughout  the  world;  but  with  us  it  was  different,  as  we  had 
available  lor  use  the  electrical  turbine  sinker  pumps  which  you  had 
bought.  We  were  also  offered  the  free  use  of  Starrett  sinkers  by 
the  manufacturers  of  these  pumps.  My  choice  finally  lay  between 
the  Starrett  sinkers  and  the  electrical  turbine  sinkers,  as  I  had 
no  money  for  purchasing  plunger  pumps  actuated  by  air  and  would 
not  in  any  case  make  new  purchases  until  convinced  that  the  ma- 
chinery at  my  disposal  could  not  be  made  to  serve. 

The  Starrett  pump,  as  you  know,  consists  of  two  chambers  in 
a  massive  casting  to  which,  after  submergence,  compressed  air  is 
admitted  in  alternation  with  the  water  to  be  pumped.  The  shifter 
valve  is  practically  the  only  mechanism  and  the  resulting  sim- 
plicity is  a  feature  of  great  promise  for  operations  in  our  hot 
winzes.  I  had  never  seen  these  pumps  operated  but  had  discussed 
them  with  men  who  had  done  so.  I  also  inspected  a  report  upon 
a  test  made  of  these  pumps  at  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Tech- 
nology by  Edward  F.  Miller,  Chas.  W.  Berry  and  E.  W.  Taylor, 
together  with  half  a  dozen  letters  of  recommendation  by  users  of 
the  pump,  all  of  which  were  singularly  satisfactory.  Letters  from  G. 
W.  Lambourne,  General  Manager  of  the  Daly-Judge  Mine  at  Park 
City,  Utah;  W.  J.  Stevenson,  Superintendent  of  the  Helena  Mining 
Company  at  Leadville,  Colorado;  Elias  Cohn,  Manager  of  the  Smug- 
gler at  Aspen,  Colorado,  and  J.  R.  Champion,  Superintendent  of  the 
Yak  Mining,  Milling  and  Tunnel  Company  at  Leadville,  contained 
ample  evidence  of  the  usefulness  of  the  pumps  and  of  the  fact 
that  they  had  passed  the  stage  of  a  mere  experiment.  The  last 
mentioned  letter  was  peculiarly  significant  as  it  referred  to  the 
employment  of  a  Starrett  pump  when  all  the  other  pumps  had  been 
put  out  of  commission  by  a  flood  from  a  subterranean  water  course, 
a  menace  to  which  we  are  liable  at  all  times  on  the  Comstock. 

The  only  unfavorable  thing  I  knew  of  the  Starrett  pump  was 
that  it  was  supposed  to  have  failed  in  a  test  made  upon  it  by  you 

18 


at  the  Ward  Shaft.  However,  I  was  not  unaware,  that,  though 
your  compressors  were  reported  to  deliver  a  much  larger  quantity 
of  air,  a  check  of  this  matter  by  a  capable  engineer  had  shown,  by  most 
convincing  indicator  cards,  that  the  actual  performance  was  but  930 
feet.  1  was  also  advised  that  this  air  had  been  delivered  through 
2000  feet  of  pipe,  most  of  which  was  an  old  rusted  discharge  pipe 
for  water,  through  which  the  leakage  must  have  been  very  great, 
as  much  perhaps  as  100  feet  per  minute.  It  is  furthermore  a  matter 
of  common  report  here  that  the  old  air  pipe  was  so  rusted  and  full 
of  holes  that  it  constantly  delivered  metallic  debris  to  the  pump 
in  sufficient  quantities  to  choke  the  action  of  the  shifter  valve. 
Mr.  Mackie,  who  was  sent  to  operate  the  pump  under  you,  testifies 
that  the  pump  lowered  the  water  of  the  Ward  Shaft  79  feet  in  seven 
and  one-half  hours,  that  it  stopped  then  only  because  of  metallic 
scales  and  rust  which  were  afterward  found  in  the  valve  when  the 
pump  had  been  raised — and  while  of  course  the  water  was  also 
rising.  He  further  states  that,  as  he  could  not  be  present  at  the 
pump  all  the  time,  it  was  impossible  to  accomplish  anything  in  con- 
sequence o'f  the  indifference  of  the  assistants  you  assigned  him;  that 
he  repeatedly  lowered  the  water  on  the  day  shift  and  found  the  water 
level  back  again  at  its  old  position  upon  his  return  the  next  day; 
and  that  he  suddenly  entered  the  Ward  Shaft  hoisting  works  late 
one  night,  had  himself  immediately  lowered  and  found  your  entire 
crew  lying  down  on  the  cool  concrete  floor  of  the  2100  station, 
while  a  prompt  inspection  of  the  pump  showed  all  the  air  valves  of 
the  same  to  be  wide  open,  without  any  throttling,  as  a  result  of  which 
all  the  air  the  compressors  could  possibly  furnish  merely  drove 
directly  through  the  discharge  valves  into  the  column  pipe  without 
actuating  the  shifter.  Obviously  it  would  have  been  childish  to 
allow  the  results  of  this  so-called  test  of  the  Starrett  pump  any 
weight  in  my  opinion  of  it ;  and  I  concluded  that  the  probability  of 
its  successful  operation  was  sufficiently  great  to  justify  its  trial  if 
it  seemed  to  be  applicable  to  my  conditions. 

Now,  passing  to  a  choice  between  the  electrical  turbine  sinkers 
and  the  Starrett  pumps,  it  is  notable  to  start  with,  that  the 
electrical  turbines  would  be  used  at  low  efficiency,  as  they  were 
designed  for  2200  gallons  per  minute,  while  their  pumping  duty 
would  be  only  about  1000  gallons  per  minute.  However,  efficiency 
is  in  no  sense  a  controlling  factor  for  such  a  temporary  purpose  and 
we  could  well  afford  to  be  extravagant  in  the  use  of  power  for  the 
short  time  involved  in  lowering  the  water. 

Of  far  greater  importance  is  the  fact  that,  being  dependent 
upon  electric  power,  we  are  always  menaced  by  the  possibility  of 
a  sudden  shut  down.  You  are  aware  that  during  the  cold  weather 
last  January  this  condition  became  a  serious  danger  to  the  Lode ; 
and  during  the  severe  electrical  storms  last  summer  the  power  was 

19 


off  a  number  of  times.  In  the  former  case  the  2500  level  was  long 
flooded,  the  power  being  off,  or  so  weak  as  to  be  of  little  service, 
for  many  hours  on  several  occasions.  In  the  latter  case  the  power 
was  off  nearly  every  day  for  weeks ;  and,  on  one  occasion  for  as  long 
as  two  hours.  It  is  only  too  obvious  that  such  a  shut-down  of  power 
occurring  at  a  time  when  the  electrical  sinkers  were  in  an  unfavor- 
able position,  might  be  expected  to  put  them  out  of  commission,  as 
tlu1  water  would  rapidly  rise  above  the  motors.  I  candidly  admit 
that  with  considerable  difficulty  plans  might  be  conceived  which 
would  give  only  a  fighting  chance  for  withdrawing  them.  I  am  also 
aware  that  the  motors  are  heavily  insulated  and  that,  when  new, 
they  are  supposed  to  be  capable  of  operation  under  cold,  non-acid 
water  for  two  hours ;  but  I  have  observed  the  rapid  deterioration  of 
the  insulation  in  which  they  are  baked  when  they  are  merely  exposed 
for  a  short  time  to  our  hot,  moist  air,  and  the  effects  to  be  expected 
from  their  actual  immersion  in  the  hot,  acid  waters  of  the  Lode  would 
not  justify  a  hope  that  there  would  be  much  chance  for  their  opera- 
tion under  water  if  they  had  been  covered  by  it  even  a  short  time. 
Such  a  submersion  would  also  involve  a  difficult  problem  in  the  lubri- 
cation of  the  electrical  pumps  while  they  were  pumping  themselves 
out  after  a  shut-down,  as  the  oil  would  soon  be  replaced  by  water  after 
the  motors  started  up  if  they  should  be  capable  of  doing  this  at  all. 

Of  course  the  danger  of  sudden  flooding  from  the  breaking 
loose  of  dammed  waters  would  be  directly  comparable  to  that  aris- 
ing from  a  shut-down  of  the  power. 

While,  as  a  last  resort,  one  might  take  a  chance  that  there 
would  be  neither  a  shut-down  of  power  nor  flooding,  the  method 
would  hardly  do  credit  to  an  engineer  who  could  by  any  reasonable 
means  eliminate  these  dangerous  uncertainties  from  his  project. 

Turning  now  to  the  Starrett  pump  it  is  found  that  it  is  not  in 
the  least  injured  by  submersion,  as  a  return  of  power  to  the  actua- 
tion of  the  compressors  after  a  shut-down  would  unquestionably 
start  the  pump,  however  long  it  had  been  under  water;  and  it  would 
quickly  pump  itself  out  again.  Moreover,  these  pumps  should  work 
at  their  maximum  efficiency  in  hot  water,  the  heat  energy  from  which 
would  inevitably  be  absorbed  by  the  compressed  air  and  used  in  its 
expansion.  In  short,  it  may  be  said  that,  if  there  is  a  place  to 
which  the  electrical  sinker  does  not  apply,  it  is  on  the  North  End 
Comstock;  while  the  converse  is  true  of  the  Starrett  pump.  If  it  is 
good  anywhere  it  should  be  better  here  and  a  demonstration  of  its 
applicability  would  materially  simplify  the  problem  of  the  ultimate 
umvatering  of  the  Lode  to  the  lowest  workings.  This  last  con- 
sideration has  made  me  particularly  anxious  to  see  that  the  Starrett 
pump  shall  have  a  fair  and  unprejudiced  trial. 

For  these  reasons  there  appeared  to  be  no  occasion  to  hesitate 
in  a  choice  between  the  Starrett  and  the  electrical  sinker;  and  the 

20 


Starrett  was  accordingly  selected  for  the  work.  For  its  successful 
operation  1  make  no  guarantee,  though  of  course  I  anticipate  that 
it  will  do  the  work  required  of  it,  and  I  assume  full  responsibility 
for  the  wisdom  of  trying  it.  If  it  proves  a  success,  this  pump  will 
become  an  indispensable  factor  in  other  plans  for  unwatering  the 
deep  levels.  If  it  does  not,  but  little  loss  will  have  been  in- 
curred, as  we  have  paid  nothing  for  the  pumps  themselves  and 
practically  every  single  expense  which  will  have  been  incurred  up 
to  the  trial  of  the  pumps  would  have  been  necessary  and  inevitable 
had  we  not  considered  them  at  all.  Under  such  circumstances  I  am 
convinced  that  my  decision  to  try  these  pumps  is  good  engineering, 
is  logical  and  inevitable. 

Water  flow  on  the  2500  Level 
(Answering  Question   6.) 

A  measurement  by  weir  of  the  flow  of  water  to  the  Shaft  from 
the  East  Crosscut  on  the  2500  level  indicates  1000  gallons  per 
minute  as  the  total. 

Two  hundred  and  seventy-five  gallons  of  this  are  flowing  from 
the  drift  which  goes  from  the  Con- Virginia  winze  toward  the 
Osbiston  Shaft.  As  this  water  can  be  caught  up  and  conducted  past 
the  winze,  there  should  be  a  flow  of  725  gallons  per  minute  rising 
in  the  winze  at  the  start  of  pumping.  In  addition,  allowance  must 
be  made  for  an  uncertain  amount  of  water  which  will  drain  into  the 
winze  from  below  the  2500  level,  as  the  water  is  lowered.  This 
flow  will  steadily  increase  with  the  lowering  of  the  water  level  and 
will  continue  for  some  time  after  the  2700  level  is  reached.  While 
we  have  no  basis  on  which  to  estimate  this  flow  of  water,  some 
recognition  of  it  must  be  made ;  and  it  is  arbitrarily  assumed  that 
it  will  amount  to  100  gallons  per  minute  at  the  2700  level.  The 
Starrett  pump  used  must  therefore  have  a  capacity  of  not  less  than 
825  gallons  per  minute  and  a  reasonable  safety  factor  should  be 
added. 

Description  of  the  Starrett  Pump  Selected  for  Unwatering  the  2700 
Level. 

The  pump  selected  for  the  winze  duty  is  one  having  chambers 
of  50  gallons  capacity,  which  is  to  be  worked  at  20  strokes  per 
minute.  It  therefore  has  a  capacity  of  1000  gallons  per  minute, 
though  the  speed  may  be  increased  if  necessary.  (Part  answer  to 
Question  3.)  This  pump  has  a  massive  casting  of  great  strength. 
It  has  no  protruding  weak  parts  and  is  capable  of  supporting  the 
8  inch  standard  pipe  discharge  column  (Part  answer  to  Question 

21 


25)  which  will  be  placed  directly  upon  it.  Its  gross  measurements 
are  40  inches  by  45  inches  by  ()  feet  long.  The  shifter  valve  is  of 
the  new  type  with  positive  action. 

Description   of  Proposed   Method  for   Umvatcring   Operations  at   the 
Winze. 

(  Answering  Question  4  as  to  proposed  method  for  un watering 
winze.) 

It  is  planned  to  lower  the  water  with  the  two  Starrett  pumps, 
each  of  full  estimated  capacity  for  doing  the  necessary  work.  (Part 
answer  to  Question  3.) 

They  will  be  placed  in  the  north  and  south  compartments  of  the 
winze,  while  a  dolly  hoist  will  be  worked  in  the  middle  compart- 
ment, in  which  the  ventilating  pipes  will  also  be  accommodated, 
together  with  a  ladder  way.  There  will  be  two  winches  and  a  hoist- 
ing engine  in  the  station,  for  moving  the  pumps  and  operating  the 
cage.  The  8  inch  discharge  columns,  and  also  the  compressed  air 
pipes,  will  be  suspended  upon  the  pumps  and  will  be  extended  from 
time  to  time  by  the  addition  of  pipe  at  the  winze  collar,  a  method, 
you  will  observe,  which  would  be  exceedingly  dangerous  if  attempted 
with  the  delicate  sinker  pumps.  (Answer  in  part  to  Question  25.) 

The  pumps  will  be  alternately  lowered  about  eighty  feet  at  a 
time.  Presumably  they  will  gain  on  the  water  flow  in  the  winze  at 
a  rate  of  about  175  gallons  per  minute.  The  water  storage  capacity 
of  the  six  winzes  and  the  Union  Shaft,  which  are  connected  through 
the  2700  level,  is  estimated  at  3740  gallons  per  foot  of  depth.  The 
pump  may  therefore  be  expected  to  lower  the  water  so  fast  that  we 
cannot  expect  to  keep  up  with  it  in  the  auxiliary  work ;  but  we  can 
not  estimate  the  actual  time  which  will  be  required  to  reach  the 
2700  foot  level,  as  we  do  not  know  what  repairs  to  the  winze  will 
be  necessary  to  insure  the  safety  of  the  men.  We  will  probably 
discontinue  the  winze  pumping  from  time  to  time  in  order  to  carry 
with  us  the  repair  work  on  timbers  and  the  placing  of  guides,  lad- 
ders and  ventilating  pipes.  The  cribbing  between  the  hoisting  com- 
partment and  the  pumping  compartments  will  be  cut  away  at  con- 
venient places  to  permit  the  passage  of  men,  debris  and  materials. 
(Answering  Question  23.)  As  each  pump  completes  its  stage  and  is 
unwatered  by  the  other  pump  it  will  be  carefully  inspected.  Its  valves 
will  be  cleaned  and  its  screens  will  be  replaced  if  necessary. 

There  is  little  reason  to  anticipate  the  necessity  of  any  im- 
portant repairs;  but  should  such  an  emergency  arise  we  will  make 
them  in  the  winze  itself,  while  the  water  level  is  being  held  by 
the  other  pump.  However,  it  would  be  a  simple  matter  to  with- 

22 


draw  a  pump  at  any  time  and  hoist  it  to  the  surface,  as  this 
would  involve  nothing  but  the  removal  of  the  discharge  column  and 
compressed  air  pipe,  when  the  joints  of  the  same  should  be  brought 
in  succession  to  the  winze  collar  by  the  winch.  (Answer  to  Ques- 
tion 16.) 

The  hot  air  and  steam  from  the  pump  discharge  will  be  bon- 
neted and  sprayed  with  cold  water  to  effect  condensation  of  steam 
and  lowering  of  temperature,  after  which  it  will  be  conducted  into 
the  north  drift  on  the  2500  level,  through  which  it  will  pass  to 
the  established  up-casts.  (Part  answer  to  Question  19.) 

For  the  actual  operation  and  lowering  of  the  pumps,  only  a 
single  man  beside  the  hoisting  engineer  will  be  needed,  but  two 
men  will  always  be  worked  together  in  the  winze,  as  required  by 
law.  There  will  also  be  whatever  additional  crew  the  timber  repairs 
and  pipe  installations  may  require,  but  the  total  number  of  men  em- 
ployed must  depend  upon  conditions  as  we  find  them,  a  total  which 
will  not  in  any  case  exceed  the  number  required  for  the  installation 
of  any  other  type  of  pump.  (Answering  Question  22.) 

It  is  notable  that  there  will  be  a  certain  fixed  amount  of  work 
to  be  done  in  the  winze,  though  it  cannot  be  estimated  at  present. 
However,  it  will  be  highly  advantageous  to  do  this  work  as  quickly 
as  possible;  and  I  shall  accordingly  use  as  large  a  crew  as  can  be 
conveniently  worked.  If  the  heat  requires  it,  the  men  will  work 
in  relays.  I  have  selected  Mr.  W.  B.  Mackie  to  supervise  the 
operation  of  the  pumps.  He  comes  to  me  highly  recommended  by 
the  manufacturers  of  the  Starrett  pump,  as  an  able  mechanic  fa- 
miliar with  the  operation  of  the  pump  through  years  of  experience 
with  it.  The  mining  work  in  connection  with  the  winze  will  be  in 
charge  of  Superintendent  McCormick  and  Foreman  Blake  of  the 
Con-Virginia  Mine,  whose  peculiar  fitness  for  this  work  needs  no 
discussion.  (Answering  Question  26.) 

By  this  procedure  the  water  will  be  lowered  to  a  point  about 
20  feet  below  the  2700  level,  (Answering  Question  5)  the  winze 
having  a  total  depth  of  120  feet  below  the  2700.  A  further  lower- 
ing of  the  water  will  be  undertaken  only  if  it  appears  that  we 
require  more  than  20  feet  of  sump  room.  The  sump  requirements 
must  continue  uncertain  pending  the  selection  of  a  permanent  plant 
for  holding  the  water;  (Answering  Question  15)  for,  upon  arriving  at 
the  2700  level,  I  shall  replace  the  Starretts  by  other  pumps  unless 
their  efficiency  should  make  them  desirable  for  permanent  station 
service. 

Compressed  Air  Requirements. 

(Answering  Questions  7  and  8.) 

The  Starrett  pump,  having  chambers  of  1000  gallons  capacity  per 
minute,  will  take  133.7  cubic  feet  per  minute,  of  air  at  such  pres- 

23 


sures  as  may  be  required  by  the  head  under  which  the  pump  may 
be  worked.  It  is  expected  that  but  15  pounds  per  square  inch  gauge 
pressure  will  be  used  at  the  commencement  of  pumping  and  that  this 
pressure  will  be  increased  to  about  50  pounds  at  the  2700  level. 
(Part  answer  to  Questions  10  and  11.) 

With  an  atmospheric  pressure  of  about  11.7  pounds  at  the 
shaft  collar  and  fifty  pounds  gauge  pressure  at  the  pumps,  the 
volume  of  compressed  air  will  be  nineteen  hundredths  of  its  un- 
compressed volume.  Therefore  the  133.7  cubic  feet  of  compressed 
air  entering  the  pump  chambers  at  the  2700  level  will  contain  5.263 
times  that  volume  of  free  air,  or  703.7  cubic  feet,  no  allowance 
being  made  for  differences  of  temperature. 

In  addition  to  the  air  delivered  to  the  chambers,  compressed 
air  is  introduced  into  the  discharge  column  to  reduce  the  pressure 
therein.  The  amount  of  air  required  for  this  is  stated  empirically 
at  about  one-third  of  the  total  air,  which  would  indicate  352  cubic 
feet  per  minute  as  required  for  the  discharge  column. 

An  allowance  of  50  cubic  feet  may  be  made  for  leakage  between 
compressors  and  pump. 

Our  theoretical  requirements  for  air  are  as  follows: 

For  pump  chambers  704  cubic  feet  per  minute 

For    discharge    column         352  cubic  feet  per  minute 

For   leakage  50  cubic  feet  per  minute 

Total  1106  cubic  feet  per  minute, 

to  be  delivered  by  the  compressors. 

Compressed  Air  Transmission. 

(Answering  Question   9.) 

This  air  will  be  conducted  through  the  6  inch  standard  pipe 
already  in  use  in  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft.  Said  pipe  is  not  as  large  as  it 
should  be  for  proper  efficiency ;  but  our  financial  condition  makes 
its  employment  imperative. 

From  the  bottom  of  the  shaft  to  the  collar  of  the  winze,  8  inch 
standard  pipe  will  be  installed.  The  pipe  to  be  used  from  the 
winze  collar  to  the  pumps  will  be  3  inch  standard  pipe  to  the  air 
chambers  and  \l/2  inch  standard  pipe  to  the  discharge  column,  as 
recommended  by  the  pump  manufacturers.  (Part  answer  to  Ques- 
tion 25.) 

Air  Compressing  Plant. 

(Answering  Question   13.) 

To  contribute  to  our  meeting  of  the  above  stated  requirements 
for  compressed  air,  we  are  installing  at  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  the  two 
small  compressors  which  were  at  the  Ward  Shaft.  However,  as 

24 


they  were  not  bought  especially  for  this  service  they  must  be  re- 
garded only  as  additional  units  in  an  aggregation  of  four  com- 
pressors which  will  constitute  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  installation  for  air 
compression.  (Part  answer  to  Question  9.) 

These   four  compressors   are   described   as   follows: 

Con-Virginia  Big  Compressor. 

Made  by   Ingersoll   Sergeant   Drill   Company. 

Two  Stage,  duplex  type.     Belt  driven  from  electric  motor. 

Stroke  24  inches. 

Speed,   9G   revolutions   per   minute. 

Diameter  low  pressure  cylinder,   28)4   inches. 

Gross    cylinder    displacement,    1671.40    cu.    ft.    per    minute. 

Displacement  volume  of  piston  rod  and  suction  tube,  66.86  cu.  ft. 
per  minute. 

Net  theoretical   displacement    1604.6   cu.    ft.   per   minute. 

10%  loss  allowed  for  in  valves 

etc.     160.4    cu.    ft.    per   minute. 

Approximate  capacity  1444.2    cu.    ft.    per    min.    of    free    air 

at  shaft  collar. 

Con-Virginia  Small  Compressor. 

Prescott-Scott  &  Company   (old  Rand  Type.) 
One  stage.     Belt  driven.     Connected  to  electric  motor. 
72  revolutions  per  minute. 
Stroke,  30  inches. 
Diameter  cylinder,  16^   inches. 

Gross    cylinder    displacement  534.56  cu.   ft.  per  min. 

Displacement    volume    of    rod  3.92  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

Net    theoretical     displacement  530.64  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

10%   loss   allowed  53.06 

Approximate  capacity  477.58  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

Pumping  Association  Compressor  Number  One. 

Ingersoll-Sergeant  Drill  Company. 

2  stage,  duplex  type,  belt  driven,  connected  to  electric  motor. 

160  revolutions  per  minute. 

Stroke,  14  inches. 

Diameter  low  pressure  cylinder  19^4  inches. 

Gross     cylinder     displacement  754.54  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

Displacement    volume     of    piston     rod 

and    suction    tube  27.67  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

Net  theoretical  displacement  726.87 

10%   allowance   for  losses  72.6     cu.  ft.  per  min. 

Approximate  capacity  654.18  cu.   ft.  per  min. 

25 


g  Association   Ccinpri'ssor  Xitinhcr  Two. 

Ingersoll  Sergeant    Drill   Company. 

Two  stage  duplex  type,  holt  driven  connected  to  electric  motor. 

120  revolutions  per  minute. 

Stroke  14  inches.     Diameter  low  pressure  cylinder  19  y\  inches. 

Gross   cylinder   displacement  565. !)1    cu.   ft.  per  ruin. 

Displacement  of  volume  of  piston,   etc.         21.19  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

Net  theoretical  displacement  544.72  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

10%   allowance   for  losses  54.47  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

Approximate  capacity  490.25  cu.  ft.  per  min. 
Summarizing",  it  will  be  seen  that  our  battery  of  compressors  has 
the  following  capacity: 

C.  V.  Big  Compressor  1444  cu.  ft:  per  min. 

C.   V.    Small   Compressor  477  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

P.   A.   Number   1  654  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

P.  A.  Number  2  490  cu.  ft.  per  min. 


Total  3065  cu.  ft.  per  min. 

all  of  which  will  be  employed  at  about  80  pounds  gauge  pressure. 
(Part  answer  to  Questions  10  and  11.)  It  should  be  mentioned  here 
that  though  the  Pumping  Association  compressors  are  reported  to 
have  made  but  930  cu.  ft.  per  minute  while  in  operation  at  the  Ward 
Shaft,  it  is  anticipated  that  a  thorough  overhauling  will  bring  their 
capacity  to  approximately  the  figure  stated. 

With  an  ample  allowance  for  friction  or  other  losses  and  allowing 
that  the  compressors  will  be  operated  constantly  at  full  load,  though, 
of  course,  this  will  not  be  the  case,  the  compressors  would  require 
about  the  following  horse-power.  (Answer  to  Question  14.) 

Con-Va.  Big  Compressor  250  H.  P. 

Con-Va.  Small  Compressor  84  H.  P. 

P.  A.  Number  1  114  H.  P. 

P.  A.  Number  2  86  H.  P. 

Obviously,  as  the  total  supply  of  compressed  air  available  is 
thus  nearly  three  times  as  great  as  that  recmired  for  the  pumping 
alone,  there  is  no  occasion  to  anticipate  anv  difficulty  from  a  lack 
of  air.  Ordinarily  there  will  be  nearly  2000  cubic  feet  per  minute 
available  for  use  in  mining  operations,  which  is  considerably  in  ex- 
cess of  present  requirements  for  that  purpose.  It  is  improbable  that 
more  than  three  compressors  will  be  operated  at  once;  and  the  wide 
range  of  compressor  capacities  will  enable  us  to  select  such  a  com- 
bination of  compressors  as  will  closely  meet  our  requirements, 
however  they 'may  vary  with  the  depth  of  pumping  or  the  fluctuating 
needs  of  the  mine  for  more  or  less  air  for  drilling. 

26 


Summary  and  Inde.v  of  My  Ansivers   to    Your  Forty-Seven    Ques- 
tions; And  Answers  to   Questions  not  Previously  Discussed. 

As  the  necessities  of  logic  and  of  my  self-protection  have  re- 
quired an  orderly  and  clearly  related  arrangement  of  my  replies, 
while  I  wish  to  make  it  very  clear  that  every  question  has  been 
fully  answered,  I  will  now  summarize  my  answers  to  each  and 
every  question  by  reference  to  the  pages  on  which  they  may  be 
found : 

Questions  1  and  2.  Concerning  the  basis  of  my  judgment  in 
selecting  the  Starrett  pumps,  is  answered  under  topic,  "Selection  of 
Pumps  for  Unwatering  the  Con-Virginia  Winze,"  p.  18. 

Question  3.  Concerning  the  number  of  pumps  to  be  used,  the 
capacities  of  same  and  of  the  displacement  chambers,  is  answered 
under  topic,  "Description  of  Starrett  Pump  Selected  for  Unwater- 
ing the  2700  Level,"  p.  21,  and  under  the  next  topic,  following  page. 

Question  4.  As  to  the  method  proposed  for  lowering  water  in 
the  Con-Virginia  winze,  is  answered  under  topic,  "Description  of 
Proposed  Method  for  Unwatering  Operations  at  the  Winze,"  p.  22, 
et  seq. 

Question  5.  As  to  the  depth  below  the  winze  collar  to  which 
we  propose  to  lower  the  water,  is  answered  on  p.  23. 

Question  6.  As  to  measurements  of  water  and  estimates  of 
same,  is  answered  under  topic,  "Waterflow  on  2500  Level,"  p.  21. 

Question  7.  As  to  the  quantity  of  free  air  to  be  used  in  pump- 
ing is  answered  under  topic,  "Compressed  Air  Requirements,"  p.  23. 

Question  8.  As  to  the  proportions  of  air  to  be  used  in  dis- 
placement chambers  and  discharge  column,  is  answered  under  topic, 
"Compressed  Air  Requirements,"  p.  24. 

Question  9.  As  to  the  sizes  of  compressed  air  pipes,  etc.,  is 
answered  under  topic,  "Compressed  Air  Transmission,"  p.  24  and 
the  following  topic. 

Questions  10  and  11.  As  to  the  air  pressures  at  the  compressors 
and  at  the  pumps  at  commencement  and  finish  of  Unwatering,  is 
answered  at  pp.  26  and  23. 

Question  12.  As  to  the  quantity  of  air  to  be  used  in  operating 
air  lifts  between  the  two  tanks  on  the  2000  station. 

Answer:  The  air  I  propose  to  use  in  operating  the  air  lift 
between  the  two  2000  station  tanks,  is  practically  negligible,  as  the 
quantity  consumed  will  remain  about  as  at  present.  We  do  not  con- 
template any  storage  in  the  lower  tank,  excepting  that  of  occasional 
overflow  water  from  the  upper  tank,  which  tank  is  watched  so  care- 
fully that  there  is  very  little  overflow.  I  wish  to  point  out  that 
the  system  existing  when  I  took  charge  allowed  the  drainage  from 

27 


the  levels  between  the  KiOO  and  the  vfooo  to  enter  the  lower  Ried- 
ler  tank  from  which  it  was  necessary  to  elevate  it  again  into  the 
upper  tank  by  an  air  lift.  At  present  the  air  lift  is  freed  from  the 
bunion  of  this  drainage  water  which  is  conducted  directly  to  the 
upper  tank.  Moreover,  a  far  more  important  factor  in  reducing 
the  duty  of  the  air  lifts  is  found  in  the  fact  that  under  the  proced- 
ure existing  when  I  took  charge,  the  entire  volume  of  water  from 
below  the  2000  level  (approximately  2100  gallons  per  minute)  was, 
by  singular  oversight,  allowed  to  lose  its  momentum  by  coming  to 
rest  in  the  lower  tank,  from  which  it  had  to  be  elevated  to  the 
upper  tank  by  the  air  lift.  Of  course  one  of  my  first  duties  was 
the  remedying  of  this  inefficient  condition  and  the  water  from  the 
lower  levels  is  now  also  discharged  directly  into  the  upper  tank. 
The  total  burden  upon  the  air  lift  will  thus  appear  to  be  quite  in- 
significant, and  while  the  quantity  of  air  used  in  said  lift  can  not  be 
figured,  the  smallness  of  the  amount  is  suggested  by  the  fact  that 
the  air  introduced  is  admitted  through  a  2  inch  valve  opened  only  a 
]/<&  turn  from  its  closed  position.  Most  of  the  time  it  is  closed  en- 
tirely. It  may  be  noted  in  passing  that  there  are  singular  advantages 
arising  from  the  discontinuance  of  the  heavy  duty  upon  this  air 
lift,  as  the  exhaust  air,  becoming  saturated  in  hot  water,  cast  great 
volumes  of  steam  into  the  2000  station  and  to  a  notable  degree 
vitiated  all  the  air  passing  down  the  shaft  below  the  2000  level, 
thus  shortening  the  life  of  the  timbers  and  seriously  impairing  the 
ventilation. 

Question  13.  As  to  the  compressors  to  be  used  and  their 
speeds  and  capacities,  is  answered  under  topic,  "Air  Compressing 
Plant,"  p.  24  et  seq. 

Question  14.  As  to  the  horsepower  for  operating  compressors 
and  quantity  of  air  provided  for  the  mines,  is  answered  under  topic, 
"Air  Compressing  Plant,"  p.  26. 

Question  15.  As  to  proposed  sump  at  bottom  of  Con-Virginia 
winze  is  answered  on  p.  23. 

Question  16.  As  to  method  of  repairing  pumps,  etc.,  is  answered 
on  p.  22. 

Question  17.  As  to  means  of  ventilation  for  men  working  on  the 
pumps.  Answer:  Cool  air  from  the  2300  shaft  station  will  be 
driven  by  a  suitable  blower  through  common  ventilating  pipe  into 
the  winze.  As  to  the  quantity  of  ventilating  air  to  be  so  delivered 
it  will  be  held  subject  to  your  measurement  as  the  blowing  plant 
is  now  in  operation  and  I,  myself,  have  no  time  for  interesting  but 
unprofitable  pursuits.  * 

Questions  18  and  19.  As  to  the  future  ventilation  of  the  mines, 
etc.  Subject  of  disposal  of  air  from  the  winze  answered  on  p.  23. 

As  to  general  system  of  ventilation,  the  executive  of  the  Pump- 
ing Association  has  no  authority.  You  are  respectfully  referred  for 

28 


information    to   a    council   of    the    North    End    Superintendents    who 
can  alone  determine  such  questions. 

Question  20.  As  to  pumping  elsewhere  than  at  the  Con-Virginia 
winze,  is  answered  under  topic,  "Choice  of  Winzes,"  pp.  11  et  seq. 
as  far  as  the  2700  level  is  concerned.  If  you  refer  also  to  plans  for 
unwatering  still  lower  levels,  these  will  depend  upon  our  financial 
condition,  upon  the  results  of  our  mine  development  work  and  upon 
such  policies  as  may  be  determined  by  the  Association  Board  for  my 
guidance. 

Question  21.  As  to  the  condition  of  the  Con-Virginia  winze,  is 
answered  in  note  on  p.  11. 

Question  22.  As  to  the  number  of  men  to  be  used  in  lowering 
the  water,  is  answered  on  p.  23. 

Question  23.  As  to  method  of  handling  debris  encountered  in 
sinking  is  answered  on  p.  22. 

Question  24.  As  to  suction  screens  and  cleaning  of  same. 
Answer:  We  will  use  the  standard  screen  for  the  pump,  as  recom- 
mended and  supplied  by  the  manufacturers  of  the  pump.  As  to 
cleaning  these  screens  when  the  pumps  are  in  position  at  the  bottom 
of  the  winze,  this  will  be  done,  as  usual  in  such  cases,  by  rakes  and 
brushes  on  handles  appropriately  shaped  for  reaching  the  screens. 
Sinking  operations  will  frequently  expose  the  screens. 

Question  25.  As  to  sizes  and  hanging  of  pipe  is  answered  on 
p.  22,  as  to  method  of  suspension  and  size  of  discharge  column ; 
and  p.  24  as  to  size  of  air  pipes.  Ventilating  pipes  will  be  hung  in 
man  way  by  suitable  clamps  as  in  standard  practice. 

Question  26.  As  to  men  selected  to  carry  out  the  winze  work, 
is  answered  on  p.  23. 

Question  27.  As  to  present  storage  room  for  water  on  2000 
level  station.  Answer:  I  have  the  upper  and  lower  tanks  which 
were  a  part  of  the  installation  when  I  took  charge. 

Question   28.     As   to   new   water   storage    on    the     2000     level. 
Answer :     The  present  storage  capacity  is  expected  to  be  sufficient. 

Question  29.  As  to  new  water  storage  elsewhere  than  on  the 
2000  level.  Answer:  No  new  storage  is  planned. 

Question  30.  As  to  reports  made  by  me.  Answer:  As  is  well 
known,  I  have  made  written  reports  weekly;  and  they  have  been 
published.  I  have  made  no  special  report  on  the  use  of  the  Starrett 
pump,  but  have  at  all  times  counselled  with  the  president  and  other 
members  of  the  Pumping  Association  who  were  sufficiently  inter- 

29 


ested  to  permit  it.  I  have  quoted  in  full  my  report  of  July  1,  1913, 
on  changes  made  by  me  in  the  pumping  plant  and  organization. 

Oiti'stions  31,  32,  ;>:>,  31,  ;>:>,  3(1,  37  ,//;<./  38.  As  to  my  operations 
in  cleaning  out  and  repairing  the  old  2~)00  level.  Answer:  Work  in 
the  2500  level  east  crosscut  required  49  working  days,  372  man 
shifts,  costing  $1500.92,  being  charged  to  it,  or  a  total  labor  cost 
of  $2.667  per  foot  through  a  distance  of  505  feet.  Two  new  tunnel 
sets  and  nine  new  posts  were  used  and  many  of  the  old  sets  were 
found  distorted  so  that  they  had  to  be  taken  down  and  set  up 
again.  New  lagging  was  put  in  at  various  points  and  new  spread- 
ers, floor  and  track  were  placed  through  the  entire  distance.  Ten 
sets  of  spiling  were  driven.  Muck  was  found  standing  in  the  cross- 
cut to  a  depth  of  several  feet  through  most  of  the  distance  and 
sometimes  it  entirely  rilled  the  crosscut,  though  occasional  spaces 
were  encountered  in  which  there  was  little  muck.  The  whole  cross- 
cut work  produced  899  cars  of  muck. 

Similar  conditions  were  found  in  the  North  Drift,  which  was 
opened  455  feet  in  56  working  days,  674-5/8  man  shifts,  costing 
$2885.75,  being  charged  to  it.  It  required  13  sets  of  timbers,  and 
new  spreaders,  floor  and  track  for  the  entire  distance;  but  there 
was  no  spiling.  Six  hundred  and  eighteen  cars  of  muck  were  taken 
from  it. 

In  repairing  the  Con-Virginia  winze  station  901^  man  shifts, 
costing  $2608.50,  were  charged  in  55  working  days  to  the  beginning 
of  this  month,  1001  cars  of  muck  being  produced  from  this  work. 

The  above  fully  answers  every  point  raised  in  the  questions 
enumerated  except  as  to  the  depth  at  which  the  muck  stood  at  all 
points.  Naturally  no  one  would  keep  such  data  unless  he  anticipated 
the  necessity  of  answering  such  questions.  The  statement  of  cars 
of  muck  is  inserted,  however,  as  our  nearest  data  bearing  upon  the 
subject. 

Question  39.  In  regard  to  decrease  in  consumption  of  power. 
Answer :  As  the  pumping  plant  is  unchanged  from  its  condition 
when  it  came  into  my  charge,  excepting  only  the  elimination  of  the 
air  lift  at  the  2000  level,  no  material  reduction  in  power  should  be 
expected.  The  elimination  of  about  40  horse-power  due  to  that 
change  should  easily  be  balanced  by  the  notorious  drop  in  efficiency 
which  occurs  in  turbine  pumps  after  they  have  been  subjected  to 
even  moderate  wear.  Nevertheless,  I  will  present  such  data  as 
appears  to  bear  upon  the  subject. 

The  following  table  shows  the  total  of  monthly  power  bills  of 
the  Association  from  October,  1912,  to  September,  1913,  and  also 
the  horse-power  consumed  in  pumping  only: 


30 


Month  Horse-power  of  pumps  segre- 

1912  Power  Bill  gated  from  total  power 

October  $5,791.00  996 

November  5,447.00  957 

December  (5,826.00  (1041 

1!)i:>  Average  (  Average  ( 

January  (6,147.00  (1097 

$6,057.00  (  1085  ( 

February  (6,200.00  (1117 

Though  my  appointment  was  dated  January  25th,  I  was  not  in  a 
position  to  do  much  more   than   study   conditions   for   several   weeks 
and  the  existing  system  was  allowed  to  take  its  course  through 
February. 

March  ($6,126.00  (1092 

(  ( 

April  (   6,039.00  (1072 

(  ( 

May  (  5,838.00  (1034 

Average  (  Average  ( 

June  (  6,053.00  (1077 

$5,938.00  (  1052.  ( 

July  (  5,584.00  (  992 

(  ( 

August  (   6,051.00  (1064 

(  ( 

September  (   5,852.00  (1033 

It  here  appears  that  from  the  first  month  in  which  the  tur- 
bine pumps  were  operated  there  was  a  distinct  increase  through 
February,  both  in  the  actual  horse-power  for  pumping  and  in  the 
total  of  our  power  bills;  second,  that,  comparing  the  average  horse- 
power and  total  power  bills  of  December,  January  and  February, 
when  the  wear  on  the  pumps  may  be  considered  to  have  commenced 
to  have  effect,  with  the  average  of  all  subsequent  months,  it  is  seen 
thai  the  one  has  dropped  from  $6,057  to  $5,938  and  the  other  from 
1085  horse-power  to  1052  horse-power  in  spite  of  the  decrease  in 
efficiency  from  wear  noted  above. 

Question  40.  As  to  repairs  to  Riedler  pumps.  Answer :  Perma- 
nent records  as  to  the  nature  of  such  repairs  are  not  kept,  as  they 
would  be  interesting  but  of  small  value.  Upon  these  repairs  as  a 
whole,  however,  we  have  expended  519^4  man  shifts,  costing  $2,- 
578.24  for  labor;  while  materials  used  in  the  work  have  cost  $579.44. 

31 


The  total  cost  of  Riedler  repairs,  even  with  a  highly  efficient  me- 
chanical crew,  has  thus  amounted  to  $3,157.08. 

Question  41.  As  to  decrease  in  number  of  men  employed  on 
pumps.  Answer :  Decrease  of  three  men  on  the  2500  pumps  made 
possible  by  the  start  of  mining  work  on  that  level. 

Question  42.  As  to  decrease  in  number  of  men  employed  on 
hoists,  etc.  Answer :  These  men  are  employed  by  Con-Virginia,  and 
I  have  no  authority  over  them. 

Question  13.  As  to  decreases  in  machinists  and  electricians. 
Answered  on  p.  7  as  to  machinists.  In  regard  to  electricians,  I  found 
four  employed  more  or  less  industriously,  but  soon  learned  that  the 
chief  electrician  alone  was  capable  of  doing  all  the  work  required. 

Question  44.  As  to  machinists  dispensed  with,  is  answered  on 
p.  7. 

Question  45.  As  to  other  decreases  in  the  men  employed. 
Answer:  One  tank  watchman  has  been  laid  off.  As  to  the  means 
by  which  we  have  been  able  to  dispense  with  him,  a  discussion  doing 
the  subject  justice  is  beyond  me. 

Question  46.  As  to  purchases  of  material  by  the  Pumping  As- 
sociation. Answer :  This  question  as  stated  can  have  no  possible 
bearing  upon  the  subjects  of  your  investigation,  as  any  materials 
which  have  been  purchased  have  been  either  charged  out  by  the 
storeroom  as  a  cost  to  my  various  operations  or  to  various  mines 
who  are  our  customers,  or  else  they  remain  as  a  part  of  materials  on 
hand.  Materials  actually  consumed  or  used  by  the  Pumping  As- 
sociation in  its  own  work  are  detailed  on  our  monthly  cost  sheets  of 
operation,  which  are  open  to  your  inspection. 

Question  47.  You  may  take  copies  of  the  monthly  financial  state- 
ments as  requested ;  but  please  be  advised  that  those  do  not  show 
my  costs ;  and  my  monthly  cost  sheets  of  operations  are  the  only 
records  which  clearly  do  this.  The  monthly  financial  statements,  for 
instance,  often  include  the  disbursement  of  money  for  bills  incurred 
by  my  predecessor  and  for  materials  in  stock  but  not  as  yet  charge- 
able to  any  work  as  costs. 

In  conclusion  I  wish  to  advise  you  of  information  coming  to  me 
from  many  sources  to  the  effect  that,  since  your  authorization  as  the 
engineer  of  the  Mexican  Company  for  examining  my  administra- 
tion and  pumping  project,  you  have  repeatedly  expressed  yourself 
concerning  the  subjects  of  your  examination  in  a  spirit  of  frank 
and  bitter  condemnation,  though,  as  yet,  you  have  seen  neither  my 
works  nor  my  records.  So  gross  a  violation  of  professional  ethics 
in  a  shameless  prejudgment,  is  a  thing  you  can  doubtless  reconcile 
to  your  conscience.  However  it  is  obvious  that  your  47  questions 
fully  cover  my  past  administration  and  my  future  plans,  which  con- 
stitutes the  authorized  subjects  of  your  examination.  Though  I  have 
considered  some  of  these  questions  to  be  frivolous,  impertinent,  un- 

32 


professional  and  ungentlemanly,  and  their  whole  tendency  controver- 
sial and  unfair,  I  have,  as  a  matter  of  duty  and  loyalty  to  my  em- 
ployers, studied  them  with  the  utmost  seriousness,  and,  at  a  great 
cost  of  time  and  effort,  when  I  had  neither  to  spare,  have  answered 
them  fully. 

I  must  now  also  answer  the  postscript  to  your  letter,  which  in- 
dicates an  intent  on  your  part  to  attempt  an  indefinite  prolongation 
of  this  examination,  by  further  questions,  into  a  controversy,  for 
which  I  have  neither  time  nor  inclination.  I  must,  therefore,  say 
that,  being  at  present  under  a  severe  strain  in  the  execution  of  my 
important  duties  at  a  critical  time  for  the  success  of  my  administra- 
tion, I  must  hereafter  consider  this  subject  as  closed. 

Very  truly  yours, 

A.   M.  WALSH. 


33 


APPENDIX  I. 


The  Forty-Seven  Questions  Propounded  by  Mr.  Symmes. 

1.  Have  you  ever  seen  a  Starrett  pump  in  operation  and  tested 
the   efficiency   of   one,    and    if   so,    where;    and    what    were    the    data 
in  regard  to  the  lift,  capacity  per  minute,  air  consumption,  air  pres- 
sure and  horse-power  delivered  to  the  compressor?     If  you  are  not 
relying;  upon  your  own  experience  in  regard  to  the  practicability  and 
efficiency    of    the    Starrett    pump,    upon    whose    recommendation    are 
you  relying? 

2.  What  mines  that  you  know  of  are  now  using  Starrett  pumps 
and  what  are  the  data  in  regard  to  the  lift,  capacity,  air  consumption 
and  power  consumption  at  the  compressor,  at  these  mines,  and  who 
is  it  that  vouches  for  the  data  that  has  been  supplied  to  you? 

3.  How  many  Starrett  pumps  do  you  intend  to  use  in  the  Con- 
Virginia    2500    level    winze,    and    what    is    the    manufacturer's    rated 
capacity  and  what  is  the  capacity  of  each  of  the  displacement  cham- 
bers of  the  said  pumps? 

4.  What  method  do  vou  propose  to  use  in  installing  said  pumps 
and  lowering  the  water  in  said  winze? 

5.  To  what  point  below  the  collar  of  the   winze  do  you   expect 
to  lower  the  water? 

(5.  What  quantity  of  water  per  minute  do  you  calculate  is  now 
coming  in  on  the  2500  level  to  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft,  and  how  much  is 
coming  up  the  Con-Virginia  Winze,  and  what  additional  quantity 
of  water  per  minute  are  you  allowing  for  in  order  to  drain  the 
ground  between  the  collar  of  the  winze  and  the  said  point  to  which 
you  expect  to  lower  the  water? 

7.  How  many  cubic  feet  of  free  air  per  minute,  measured  at  the 
collar  of  the  shaft    (compressor  displacement  measurement)    do  you 
expect  to  use  when  beginning  pumping  operations,  and  what  quantity 
of  compressed  air  do  you  expect  to  use  when  holding  the  water  at 
the  said  point  to  which  you  expect  to  lower  it? 

8.  Of  the  total  quantities   of  air  used  in   operating  the   Starrett 
pumps,    what    quantity    do    you    expect    to    use    in    the    displacement 
chambers  of  the  pump,  and  what  quantities  in  the  discharge  column? 

9.  What  size  or  sizes  of  compressed  air  pipe  do  vou  propose  to 
use  in  bringing  air  from  the  compressors  to  the  Con-Virsfinia  winze, 
and  will  this  line  be  connected  with  the  compressed  air  lines  to  the 
Con-Virginia  and  Ophir  mines? 

34 


10.  What   pressure   of   air   do  yon   expect   to  have   at   the   com- 
pressors and  what  pressure  do  yon   expect  to  deliver  to  the  pumps 
when  beginning  pumping  operations? 

11.  What   pressure   do   you   propose   to   use   at   the   compressors 
and   what  pressure   do  you   propose  to  use  at  the  pumps   when   the 
water    has    been    lowered    to    the    point    to    which    you    propose    to 
lower  it? 

12.  What    quantity    of    air    (compressor    displacement    measure- 
ment)  do  you  propose  to  use  in  operating  the  air  lift  between  the 
2000  station  tanks? 

13.  What  compressors   do   you   propose  to   use   in   the   work   of 
lowering  the  water  and  supplying  the  compressed  air  to  the  mines, 
at  what  speeds  do  you  propose  to  run  them,  and  what  will  be  their 
total    (displacement)    capacity   in   cubic   feet   per  minute? 

•14.     What  average   electrical   horse-power  do  you  expect  to  use 

in   operating  each   of   these  compressors,   and  if   they  are   to   supply 

air   to  the  mines   also,   what   quantity   of   air  do  you  allow    for   the 
use  of  the  mines? 

15.  Do  you  propose  to  have  any  sump,  or  sump  room  at  the  point 
to  which  you   intend  to  lower  the  water,  and  if   so,  please  describe 
the  same? 

16.  What  will  be  your  modus  operandi  in  making  repairs  upon 
the  pumps,   and   what  provisions   have  you  planned   for  holding  the 
water  level  while  doing  so? 

17.  What  means  of  ventilation  and  what  quantity  of  air  do  you 
propose   to   supply   for   the   men   working  on   the   pumps,   and   doing 
other   work   in   the   Con-Virginia   2500   level   winze? 

18.  How  do  you  propose  to  divide  the  air  used   for  ventilation 
at   the   north   end   after  the    Starrett   pumps   are   put   into   operation, 
how  much  air  will  be  led  through  the  2500  east  crosscut  from  the 
C.   &  C.   Shaft,   and,  through   what   workings   will   the   air  be  led  to 
ventilate  the  workings  in  the  Con-Virginia  and  Ophir  mines  on  the 
2500  level  and  below? 

19.  What  means  do  you  propose  to  use  for  carrying  off  that  hot 
air -and  steam   from   the   Con-Virginia   winze,   and   what  will  be  the 
system  of  ventilation  as  to  down-casts,  up-casts  and  the  direction  of 
air  currents  upon  the  2500  level? 

20.  Do  you  propose  to  do  any  work  in  regard  to  the  pumping 
and  the  lowering  of  the  water  level  at  other  points  than  at  the  Con- 
Virginia  2500  level  winze,  and  if  so,  kindly  give  me  details  of  same? 

21.  Have  you  determined  the  condition  of  the  Con-Virginia  2500 
level  winze,  and  what  are  the  details  in  regard  to  the  same? 

35 


22.  How   many   men   do   you   propose   to   use   in   operating   and 
lowering  the  Starrett  pumps  while  lowering  the  water  level  and  how 
many  men  in  operating  the  pumps  after  the  water  has  been  lowered 
to  the  point  to  which  you  expect  to  lower  it? 

23.  How  do  you  propose  to  handle  the  debris  encountered  while 
lowering  the  water  level? 

24.  What  screens  or  other  devices  do  you  propose  to  use  in  pro- 
tecting the  suction  of  the  Starrett  pumps,  and  what  method  do  you 
propose  to  use  in  cleaning  the  same? 

25.  How    do    you    propose    to    hang   the    compressed    air    pipes, 
auxiliary  pipes  and  discharge  columns   in  the  2500   level   winze   and 
what  size  pipes  do  you  propose  to  employ? 

26.  Have  you   selected   any  men   whom   you   consider   especially 
competent  to  carry  out  the  work  in  the  Con-Virginia  winze,   and  if 
so,  kindly  state  their  names  and  their  particular  work  to  which  you 
expect  to  assign  them. 

27.  What  provisions  have  you  now  got  for  water  storage  at  the 
2000  level  pump  station,  and  of  what  capacity? 

28.  How  much   water  storage   do  you   calculate  you   require  on 
the   2000   level   while   unwatering   the   ground   below   the    2500   level, 
and  explain  in  detail  how  you  plan  to  obtain  this  storage. 

.  29.  Do  you  plan  to  construct  more  water  storage  at  any  other 
point  than  where  the  storage  is  now  provided?  If  so,  state  details 
of  the  same. 

30.  Have   you   made   any   written    reports    to   the    Pumping   As- 
sociation or  its  president  in  regard  to  the  use  of  the  Starrett  pumps 
for  lowering  the  water  in  the  Con-Virginia  2500  level    winze,    or    in 
regard  to  any  change  in  the  pumping  plan?   made   by  you   since  yon 
took  charge  of  the  same?     If  so,  may  I  take  copies  of  the  same? 

31.  At  what  points  did  you  find  the  2500  level  east  crosscut  from 
the  C.  &  C.   Shaft  to  the  Con-Virginia  winze,  to  be  caved  and   for 
approximately  what  length  in  each  place  was    if    caved,    and    to    ap- 
parently what  height  above  the  floor  of  the  drift  did  the  muck  stand? 

32.  At   what   points   did   you   find  the   northwest   drift   from   the 
Con-Virginia  2500  level  winze,  to  be  caved,  for  approximately  what 
length  at  each  point  was  it  caved  and  to  what  height  did  the  muck 
stand  in  the  drift  at  each  point? 

33.  How  many  new  tunnel  sets  have  you  placed  in  the  2500  level 
east  crosscut,  and  how  many  new  tunnel  sets  have  you  placed  in  the 
northwest  drift   from  the  2500   level  winze  station? 

34.  How  many  sets  of  spilings  did  you  drive  in  the  said  cross- 
cut and.  how  many  did  you  drive  in  the  said  drift? 

35.  State  the  number  of  men  and  shifts  you  have  had  at  work 
cleaning  out  the  east  crosscut  from  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft,  and  the  total 

36 


number  of  shifts  which  they  put  in  up  to  the  time  when  they  reached 
the  Con-Virginia  winze. 

36.  State   the   number   of    men   and    the   total   number   of    shifts 
employed  in  cleaning  up  the  northwest  drift  from  the  Con-Virginia 
winze. 

37.  What  length  of  the  said  northwest  drift  have  you  cleaned  up 
or  put  in  repair? 

:>S.  How  many  men  have  you  employed  and  what  is  the  total 
number  of  shifts  that  they  worked  in  cleaning  up  and  retimbering 
the  Con-Virginia  2500  level  winze  station? 

39.  How  much  if  any,  have  you   decreased  the  consumption  of 
power  for  pumping  at  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft  since  you  took  charge  of  the 
pumping  operations  there,  and  state  the  electric  motor  readings  and 
electric  power  bills  which  will  show  this  decrease. 

40.  What    repairs    have    you    made   to   the   Riedler   pumps    since 
taking  charge  of  pumping  operations  and  state  the  number  of  shifts 
employed  in  making  these  repairs,  and  the  total  cost  of  the  work? 

41.  Have   you    decreased   the   number   of   men   employed   under- 
ground  in   operating  the   pumps   below   the   number   when   you   took 
charge  of  pumping  operations?     At  what  points  and  at  what  times 
did  the  decreases  take  place,  and  by  what  means    were    you  able    to 
get  along  with  less  number  of  men? 

42.  Have   you   decreased   the   number   of   men   employed   on   the 
surface   in   the   operation   of   hoists,   boilers   and   air   compressors,    at 
what  times  and  by  what  means? 

43.  To  what  extent  have  you  decreased  the  number  of  machinists 
and  electricians  employed  by  the  Pumping  Association,  at  what  time 
did  the   decrease  take  place,  and  by   what  means   were  you   able  to 
get  along  with  fewer  men? 

44.  How  many  machinists  were  you  able  to  dispense  with  when 
you  had  completed  the  repairs  to  the  Reidler  pumps,   which  repairs 
were  under  way  when  you  took  charge? 

45.  What  other  decreases  have  you  made  in  the  number  of  men 
employed  by  the  Pumping  Association  and  by  what  means  were  you 
able  to  get  along  with   fewer  men? 

40.  Wrhat  mine  timbers,  plant  or  equipment  of  any  description 
for  use  on  the  surface  or  underground  have  you  purchased  for  the 
Pumping  Association  since  you  took  charge  of  it? 

47.  Will  you  allow  me  to  send  someone  to  the  Pumping  Associa- 
tion's office  to  take  copies  of  the  Association's  monthly  financial  state- 
ments ? 


37 


APPENDIX   II. 

Cost  of  'rcmporar\   flunking  Installation — E.   &   0.  E. 

The  books  of  the  Pumping  Association  show  the  following  costs 
for  the  purchase  and  installation  of  the  temporary  pumping  plant, 
consisting  of  the  2310  horizontal  electrical  turbines,  with  station 
for  the  same,  the  vertical  electrical  turbine  sinker  pumps  at  the 
•?-'>()()  level  of  the  C.  &  C.  Shaft,  the  extra  turbine  sinkers  purchased 
for  the  Ophir- Mexican  winze,  transformers,  cable  and  accessories. 

Cutting   '<?:>10   Station. 

Labor  $  4,072.61 

Supplies : 

Ice  389.75 

Powder  156.75 

Lumber  892.04 

Steel  193.57 

Cement  117.58 

Sundries  596.11  2,345.80 


Total   cost   cutting   station  $  6,418.41 

Installing  2310  Pumps. 

Labor  $10,518.17 

Supplies : 

Bolts  129.56 

Pipe  ,  472.50 

Valves  156.50 

Fittings  313.80 

Lumber  382.00 

Steel  111.67 

Ice  349.79 

Packing  132.45 

Cable   '  122.00 

Sundries  546.71  2,854.97 

Charging  Oil  Switches  580.28 

Testing  Pumps  275.00 


Total  14,228.42 

38 


Installing  2500  Pinups. 

Labor  $  8,17!).:)!) 

Supplies  from  stock  3,799.45 


$11,979.04 

l;A]uipmcnt  Charges  to  Temporary  Plant. 

Vertical  turbine  pumps  $12,940.00 

Horizontal  turbine  pumps  6,225.00 

Motors  11,366.09 

Transformers  2,431.03 

Electric    Cable  7,254.04 

Freight  2,770.78 
Flanges                                             1,005.11 

199.35  1,204.46 

Switches  501.39 

Bronze  Rods  231.87 

Castings  483.01 

Expansion  Joints  616.00 

Pump  parts  580.50 

Coils  489.22 

Tank  163.55 


$47,256.97 

Summary : 

Cutting  2310  station  $  6,418.41 

Installing  2310  Pumps  14,228.42 

Installing  2500  Pumps  11,979.04 

Cost  of  equipment  47,256.97 

Total  cost  of  temporary  plant  79,882.84 

It  is  estimated  that  for  such  a  sum  hydraulically  operated  plunger 
pumps  of  great  efficiency  and  peculiarly  applicable  to  Comstock  con- 
ditions could  have  been  installed  on  the  2500  level,  and  they  would 
have  done  the  work  not  only  of  the  temporary  plant,  but  of  the  Ried- 
ler  pumps  as  well.  They  would  have  been  operated  at  such  a  reduced 
cost  for  power  that  this  saving  would  have  paid  for  them  in  less  than 
a  year ;  and  their  ability  to  operate  under  water  would  have  been  worth 

39 


inanv  thousands  nl"  dollars  to  the  Lode  as  insurance  against  loss  of 
pumps  by  ri>e>  of  water.  As  stated  in  the  body  of  this  report  they 
could  have  been  installed  \\ithout  the  previous  purchase  of  the  tem- 
porary plant. 

I  A>I  exception  should  be  taken  to  my  having  included  in  the  cost 
of  the  temporary  pumping  plant  the  equipment  designed  for  the  Ophir- 
Mexican  win/e,  it  may  be  stated  that  this  equipment,  including  two 
pumps,  two  motors  and  three  transformers,  cost  about  $10,^;>5,  which 
would  leave  S'ii'Ji  K .-!  I  as  chargeable  without  dispute.  However,  it 
should  be  observed  that  these  purchases  were  made  as  one  and  that 
the  net  benefit  we  have  derived  from  the  expenditure  they  involved, 
amounts  simply  to  the  possession  of  the  temporary  plant  plus  two 
pumps,  two  motors  and  three  transformers,  for  which  we  have  no  use, 
and  we  know  of  no  market  for  the  pumps  and  motors. 


4O 


